Thailand talks child safety with Roblox, eyes Digital ID checks

On August 13, Thailand's Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) held virtual discussions with Roblox, the popular gaming platform, to enhance child safety and implement a Digital ID verification system. The meeting included Minister Chaichanok Chidchob, Roblox's Senior Director for Public Policy, Edward Palmieri, and representatives from the ministry, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), the Digital Economy Promotion Agency, and Asia Group Advisors.

The talks focused on Roblox's existing safety and child protection tools, such as age-based controls, filtering, Facial Age Estimation technology, and Chat Moderation for inappropriate messages. Roblox intends to implement content ratings based on the IARC standard by 2027. The Thai minister proposed linking the National Digital ID and KYC system to user accounts to verify identity and age more accurately, providing parents with increased assurance.

The discussions were framed as a critical priority requiring collaboration between the state and platform operators. The Thai government aims to establish a secure digital ecosystem that strengthens identity verification, safeguards young users, and applies AI responsibly, fostering trust among users, families, and Thai society.

Roblox showcased its Family Zone, an in-platform community enabling parents to understand Roblox's safety features and engage in activities that teach AI content and coding skills to children. The Thai minister emphasized that the initiative would unfold in stages, beginning with user identity verification and progressing to proactive screening tools.

The first step involves creating a joint working group to study a user identity verification system in Thailand. The following phase would entail investigating pre-scan tools to assess content before publication, analyzing game and user history logs, and employing AI to predict risky behaviors as a preventive measure.

The implementation of any tool must be carefully evaluated for suitability and respect for users' personal privacy rights. The minister also intends to share this approach with Thai game operators to elevate safety standards across the Thai gaming industry.