Article in The Age Newspaper in Australia by Emily Kowal “Roblox’s predatory economy for kids: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/nsw/nearly-every-kid-had-been-scammed-inside-roblox-s-predatory-economy-for-children-20260415-p5zo32.html
This article did the opposite for me than what the author intended. The author seems to intend to scare monger about your children playing Roblox and becoming gambling addicts as a result. But it made me double down – and go tell my kids to play it some more – while I played with them and explained some things.
You see, some Roblox games do scam you, some kids do scam you, some organisations use you for your knowledge and skills and then kick you to the curb. Some people will abuse you financially and physically. And I don’t want my kids running away from that or being oblivious or ignorant of it – like I was. I want them fully informed. I want them to be able to spot these a-holes from 10 miles. I want them able to protect themselves, to understand laws and protections that are there for them but also understand that organisations will use every loophole they have to f you over. That life is full of $hit and hideousness.
I want them to be properly prepared for that shithole world. And therefore I choose to use Roblox as that teaching tool. And it’s fantastic – it’s a mini real-world example of enshitification.
· It has subscription payments for things that are a total waste of money (Eg: getting kids to pay for things they can’t touch or have permanently – and will disappear once you can’t pay for it). This is just like Google or Apple storage (where your grandmothers photos are held ransom by those companies because you can’t afford to keep the subscription or retrieve them etc), Microsoft accounts etc that disappear if you stop paying – watch the movie “Repo Men” with Jude Law if you want some in depth trauma about subscriptions.
· It has spin the wheel games that charge a Robux $ amount to get a random $hit thing that may or may not be good (Eg: gambling).
· It has online people that will try to scam you – just like in real life – like people who call your mobile or home phone number to get your information or get you to buy something (eg: marketing all over the world for every product every made).
· It has online selling or upselling – just like ‘confectionary isles at the supermarket’.
· It has “admin abuse” hours – where the creator of the game will giveaway cool things to entice players to keep playing. Just like all shops worldwide do with BOGO free or Boxing Day sales.
· It brings out new skins or new games or new characters in the games all the time -just like companies brining out new flavours of chips or new products like smart watches or ear buds… to keep you involved, updated and buying.
· It has in game links to the creators other games on the platform – just like every website or company site ever made… or any ad or marketing tool ever used.
· If you play long enough, you can gain extra cool stuff. Just like rewards programs with supermarkets.
· They have Robux gift cards that can’t be exchanged – they have to be used in the Roblox game – just like any companies gift cards – if you get a $20 Bunnings or Walmart gift card – it has to be spent at that store.
· They have parental locks and limits and things – this is a good thing – but it’s the same as any limit or lock – if you are smart enough – you can overcome them – which teaches the child to use multistep authentication and really strong passwords that they don’t tell to anyone, and never give your phone or phone pin to anyone – as most things can be unlocked if you have access to the persons phone
· Other people on the chat (before Australia got involved with their f’d up limiting of things – it was much better – the new laws ruined the safety). Now it’s more unsafe – because before hand all the text used to be blocked out with XXXXX’s if it’s a name, address, age or swearing or bullying etc. But it’s now teaching my kids who to stay away from, how to spot a bully, to not give out information – even your age. That it’s fun to communicate with others – but teaches them to keep their privacy and stay safe – and to NEVER meet anyone in person that you met online, and to never trust anyone you meet online. Sure – be friends – but ALWAYS be cautious and stay safe.
· It has blocks on gore, blood, violence and things, which teaches censorship and age appropriate material.
So …. It teaches my kids how to be safe! As long as I’m sitting there with them – teaching them this crap. No person learns this stuff unless they experience it directly (or have it explicitly taught to them, eg: they are personally attacked, abused, scammed or identity stolen etc – which is incredibly traumatic and hideous. Noone should have to go through that to learn these lessons.
It’s not a problem with Roblox – it’s a problem with parents or carers in charge of these kids. If you are not explicitly teaching your children what these things are – how they harm or scam you – or keep you spending money – then you are the problem. You are the one failing your child. You are the one NOT preparing them for the ‘real world’. Because this game platform teaches them everything bad and prepares them for that enshitified ‘real world’.
What other game or platform or tool do you know that teaches all this and more in one go? As far as I know – there are less safe ways – like actually gambling, or actually being abused. But all for virtual teaching. Teaching your kid the dangers of the world without actually harming your child…. By teaching them through non-harmful direct exposure and experience so they explicitly know that when they enter a store – the person getting a commission to sell you something – is taking advantage of you. The person online who you don’t know, but who is trying to gain your trust – is most likely an abusive a-hole. That the company that offers you a reward program is helping you – but they are not your friend and never will be… they are doing it for self-interest.
If all that teaches my kids to be negative, untrusting and jaded like me – then good! I’m glad. Because I’d rather them learn it in the safety of their own homes – then out there in the real world where I can’t protect them. Where they’ll learn it like I did – with real life trauma, abuse, PTSD, loss of friendships and naivety, loss of trust and love, and a side amount of suicide ideation. I want them safe – but I also want them knowledgeable and fully prepared.
According to that article I read this morning – keeping kids safe is about keeping them ignorant and in bubble wrap eternally. This increases their chances of abuse and scams etc – it doesn’t help them. My way of using Roblox to teach them – saves them, teaches them and helps them to understand and prepare. Which do you want your child to be – ignorant or prepared? Abused or safe? It’s your choice – you are the adult – you are the one supposed to be helping them to grow and learn. Avoidance isn’t learning – it’s enforced wilful ignorance.