Roblox says users under the age of 13 will no longer see as many ads or sponsored experiences and items on the platform.
Image credit: Oberon Copeland via Unsplash.
Advertisers will no longer be able to include kids under the age of 13 in all-encompassing campaigns on Roblox, according to an article from Kidscreen. Of the gaming platform’s over 50m active daily users, around 47% are 12 or younger, and Roblox says it has committed to blocking new ad campaigns, sponsored experiences or items and user ads for this audience, although new, age-targeted options will be introduced instead.
The platform has already begun to implement these changes, although a rolling period of adjustment will see Roblox continue to deliver ongoing and previously scheduled sponsored experiences aimed at kids until the end dates of current agreements with advertisers.
“We’re making these adjustments to the audiences you can reach with our ads to be more consistent with our safety standards and aligned with our mission to connect billions of people with optimism and civility,” commented a Roblox spokesperson.
Roblox is attracting an increasing number of kids’ brands, games and experiences, as this audience on the platform continues to expand. Advertisers have naturally been keen to come on board to target a young demographic with in-game activity.
Roblox estimates that, once users under the age of 13 cease to be eligible to see platform-wide ads, advertisers that have reached audiences of all ages with their advertising in the past may see roughly half as many impressions as they did before. The company has advised that they will be able to adapt to this challenge by monitoring ad metrics and exploring new features which have been introduced on the platform. These include an option to aim ad campaigns specifically at the 13-16 and 17+ age groups for the first time.
Roblox is also rolling out a sponsored products section in its marketplace, where advertisers can bid for space, but such targeting will only be visible to users over the age of 13.
