On Roblox, pornographic material sits right alongside kids’ innocent game creations.  And that’s despite efforts by Roblox to block it.

While game-creation platform Roblox is mega-popular with kids, its 43-million strong user base includes people of all ages. And not all of them are there to play nice, according to a recent report by 7News.

NSFW content - the acronym stands for “Not Safe for Work,” aka pornographic material - sits alongside kids’ innocent game creations, according to multiple sources. And that’s despite efforts by Roblox to block it.

Just as kids use the platform to create avatars and games, twisted adults are right next door (digitally speaking) making X-rated “condo games” or “scented cons” featuring nudity, sex toys and grossly explicit sex acts.

Urban dictionary defines “scented cons” - a play on “consented” - as ​​”the place where 10-year-olds go when they are horny on Roblox. It is a place for Roblox players to have sex.”
 

And, thanks to social media, scented cons are easy to find. Short, snappy videos grab kids’ attention, urging them to click on a link that uses a fake gaming title to bypass the platform’s moderation system.

Urban dictionary defines “scented cons” - a play on “consented” - as ​​”the place where 10-year-olds go when they are horny on Roblox. It is a place for Roblox players to have sex.”

What’s even worse, it’s common for predators to lure kids onto these sites by offering a bribe in Robux, the platform’s online currency, according to Common Sense Media’s Jeff Haynes.

Roblox insists it has a zero-tolerance policy for predatory behaviour. “On the rare instances where we find or are pointed to people or content that violate our rules, our moderators swiftly remove it and take other strong actions,” it said in a statement.

It’s a worthy statement of principle. But the reality is, cleaning up a site as sprawling as the Roblox online world is virtually impossible.

“This is basically a game of Whack-a-Mole,” Haynes told 7News, “whereby every single time they try to take down one or two different games, 12 to 20 get popped back up within a matter of minutes.”  

What parents can do

So what’s a parent to do? Many have chosen to block Roblox entirely from their children’s devices. But there are less extreme measures that can help to keep your child safe.

Experts recommend:

• Learning more about Roblox. Sit with your child and play along. They will love the attention and the chance to be the “teacher” - and you will gain a much deeper understanding of how the platform works.  
• Disabling the chat function. This will do a lot to shield your child from potential predators. (Note: Roblox bans users from sending images and videos in one-on-one interactions, and blocks phone numbers sent to or from players under the age of 13.)
• Locking your settings. Roblox lets you set a pin that keeps your child from disabling your security settings.
• Staying aware. Set boundaries on when and where your child goes online. Make sure bedrooms stay out of bounds. Limit gaming to a  room where you can see and hear what’s happening.
• Communicating. Your child needs to feel safe and comfortable coming to you if they see something inappropriate. Make sure they realise they won’t won’t get in trouble if they see something wrong and tell you about it. 
• Using parental controls. In-game security settings are helpful, but they are no substitute for strong parental controls that can manage your child’s gaming on every device, everywhere.