Roblox's AI-powered facial age estimation may claim "1.4 year accuracy" — but thousands of users report being incorrectly classified, with devastating consequences for their access to the platform.
When AI Gets It Wrong
The Verge reported that NBC News invited a group of children to attempt to fool the system, and they failed — but that doesn't mean the system works for everyone. Users on Reddit and the Roblox Developer Forum have compiled hundreds of reports of legitimate users being misclassified.
Common issues include:
- Teens with baby faces being placed in the Under 9 category
- Pre-teens who look older being pushed into the 13-15 bracket, losing access to Kid-appropriate games
- Poor lighting conditions causing the system to fail repeatedly
- Children with certain facial features or disabilities experiencing higher error rates
The Kafkaesque Appeals Process
"My 11-year-old son was classified as Under 9, and we've been trying to appeal for three weeks," said Rachel K., a mother from Manchester, UK. "He can't play with his friends, he can't access the games he loves. The appeal just says 'under review.' It's destroying his social life."
The appeals process requires either another facial scan or government ID verification — neither of which is straightforward for children. Parents must upload their own ID and the child's birth certificate, raising additional privacy concerns.
Digital rights group EFF has called for an independent audit of the age estimation technology, arguing that Roblox is deploying a system with known biases against minority populations and children with disabilities without adequate oversight.
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