Roblox: A Gaming Platform Exploited to Hack Accounts and Blackmail Children
The popular Roblox platform has achieved widespread success in recent years, as it has become the largest online entertainment area for children, where through its millions of games, they can design multiple areas for players using building blocks and a simple coding language, but this has allowed hackers to exploit and rhythmically manipulate children, especially most of them under the age of 13.
Data from the game's manufacturer, based on its statistics for the second half of 2024, revealed that its sales have grown tremendously in four years, to over $3.5 billion, with the number of daily active players exceeding 79.5 million, spending nearly 17.4 billion hours on the platform.
Experts and experts through "Emarat Al Youm" warned of several dangers that threaten children across the platform, including shock disorders, behavioural changes, cyberterrorism, bullying and blackmail via chatbots, at a time when it is difficult to control the age rating of players.
Specifically, cybersecurity expert Sami A Nour said that "Roblox" is a virtual platform with a wide range and choice of games, where developers and programmers can set up and publish games, and often the games are group to challenge and get to know the players, and as basic features, the game allows you to set up a profile, add friends and communicate with them voice or via messages in a group or individually.
He added: "The game has been classified as suitable for ages 12 and up, according to the agreed standards of world organizations, but a German body has finally identified 16 years as the minimum age to use this platform, and this is due to the risks that are prevalent in the game", explaining that the problem about age is that children do not enter their real age, all ratings and control efforts are not accurately valid. The other problem is that there are different age groups up to 40 using the game and communicating with children.
He noted that the most important risks of the game are childhood trauma disorders, behavioural changes, cyberterrorism and bullying, noting that continued access to non-age-appropriate games, especially violent and malicious games, may cause childhood trauma, and psychological stresses on school performance, daily life, appetite, mental and physical health.
He pointed out that there are many vulnerable people who use these apps to reach children and the palace, where they're easily accessible, seduced on one hand, threatened and intimidated on the other, and this could lead to cyberbullying of the child.
He continued: "There are a lot of games that carry in their folds non-common meanings, and inhuman orientations; so when the child plays it is integrated and fun, so they will learn everything they see even if it's a simple gesture, as children can be exposed to hacking and spying, which is less likely than other risks, but it's possible, through fake gifts, through links sent to them to hack and spy on and steal their accounts in the game, and often the device is shared between the child and his family. Parents get hacked because they don't know the child".
He called on families to limit the hours children use devices, because time constraints push the child to use them in the best possible way, pointing out the importance of closing conversations also to prevent strangers from communicating with the child and blocking immoral words even with existing friends.
He explained that parents can adjust parental lock settings to prevent changing settings through the child by entering an app-specific password; the child is easily able to change settings, as well as the need to verify the age of any app the child enters, and follow the games he uses, as recommended using a pseudonym for the profile, rather than real data, as a precaution against cyber terrorism and cyberbullying.
For her part, the head of studies and research at the United Arab Emirates Society for Child Protection, Dr. Badria Al-Hanehani, said that Roblox – as with many other online games – carries some risks if not used cautiously by children, most notably interacting with strangers, which could expose children to harmful content or people seeking to take advantage of them in harmful or illegal ways.
She pointed out that the game involves the risk of exposing children to violent or inappropriate content such as keywords, as well as childhood addiction to the game, which affects their academic achievement and mental health.
She pointed out that conversations in online games can become a blackmail arena through chat, by asking for sensitive information from a child or even money in exchange for not publishing personal information or private images, and also online harassment. Some people may use chat to seduce or manipulate children emotionally, in addition to negative content, children may be exposed to abusive messages or threats, affecting their mental health.
Al-Anhahani identified the risks of unintentional use of electronic devices, first of all exposure to harmful content, especially since a large number of children browse the Internet unknowingly and leak personal information; children do not realize the importance of maintaining their privacy, which increases the likelihood of their personal information being leaked or compromised, alongside the psychological effects of overuse of devices, such as social isolation or psychiatric disorders.
She called for continuous monitoring of what children play from games, monitoring their interactions within them, and educating them to use technology safely and responsibly, through the use of parental control tools within the game or on devices to determine with whom children can communicate, as well as continuous awareness of potential online risks and teaching them how to cope with difficult situations.
Lawyer Mei Velassi asserted that Roblox is one of the games that should be under the control and presence of parents, it's a game for children and teenagers, but in fact some children may be subjected to blackmail and other crimes, so any game with strangers must be watched when our sons and daughters use it, especially because there are many adults who enter as children and teenagers and drag children out, and the child may not know what to do or who to tell, and he will become a victim of blackmail and exploitation.
It clarified that UAE Child Fever Law in all areas, including but not limited to, Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on the Rights of the Child known as the "Wadim Law", Article 29 of which states that telecommunications companies and IT service providers must notify competent authorities of any child pornography being distributed through websites and IT networks, Information and data should be provided about the persons, entities or websites that trade such materials or intentionally exploit children.
She added: "The Dubai Data Act also calls for protecting the privacy of all individuals, including children, and the Digital Child Safety Initiative aims to educate schoolchildren about the challenges of the digital world, encourage them to use the Internet in a positive and secure manner, and educate and train teachers and parents on how to address these challenges in order to achieve digital child safety".
She stressed the need for parents to be cautious and cautious, and that when one of their children is exposed to any electronic problem, they should immediately contact relevant authorities in the country, especially those who are sufficiently aware of the news and how to overcome these phenomena and challenges.
• 79.5 million users spent nearly 17.4 billion hours on Roblox
It 's a myth of luck .
• Conversations about video games can become a playground for emotional manipulation.
Source: Emarat Al Youm