The April 10 ultimatum: Can Roblox meet the CICC’s new ‘bare mnimum’ safety standards?
Philippine authorities have laid out their demands for Roblox to avoid an impending ban in the country, requiring the platform to implement measures against child exploitation and abuse.
In a stakeholder dialogue on March 31, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) outlined three “bare minimum” requirements for Roblox to comply with an earlier monitoring order.
According to the CICC, Roblox must do the following:
- Establish a physical office in the Philippines;
- Tighten age verification protocols by connecting to the Philippine Identification System, instead of relying on self-declared ages and facial recognition;
- Provide authorities with “necessary information to track down digital predators and cybercriminals.
Authorities have moved the deadline for compliance to April 10, from the original April 3, noting that a longer extension may still be granted depending on the platform’s willingness to comply.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the country has around 6 million daily active users on Roblox, generating an estimated ₱8.5 billion monthly through in-game purchases.
Roblox caters to all ages but is especially popular among children due to its minigames and sandbox-style gameplay. However, the platform has also faced global scrutiny over allegations of child abuse and exploitation, leading to bans in 11 countries.
The Philippine government has issued three mandatory requirements for Roblox to remain operational in the country, including establishing a local office and linking age verification to the PhilSys national ID.
