This page will feature some common myths about the IARC and PEGI systems, app stores, apps and developers. I will be adding to it over time so apologies if the content is a bit thin right now!
Myth 1: Roblox content is rated as suitable for ages 7 and above
The controversial console game and app Roblox is seen alongside the PEGI-7 symbol but that does not mean the whole app is rated by PEGI.
On the PEGI website, the Roblox entry explains – in what can only be described as a disclainer – that only the developer-created content was rated. In plain language, this means that PEGI only checked the content (i.e. games) Roblox themselves added to the game. This was presumably because the game was not live at the time.
On the XBox Roblox promotion page, Microsoft explain that ‘Everything on Roblox is user generated.’ So, whether any developer content remains is irrelevant, it has been swamped by the millions of games created by Roblox users. This is often abbreviated as UGC (user-generated content).
Now XBox also have a disclaimer. Is it next to the PEGI-7 label? No.
Is it on the same page as the PEGI-7 label? No.
But what happens when you click the ‘More’ link at the bottom of that page. Here, in block capitals, we read:
‘THE ROBLOX GAME RATING APPLIES ONLY TO THE ROBLOX APP, NOT TO ANY USER GENERATED CONTENT WITHIN THE APP, WHICH IS UNRATED.’
So presumably the loading screen and the 0.0000001% or whatever of developer content that may remain is PEGI-7 rated. The actual user-generated games that kids are playing is unrated.
THE TRUTH: PRACTICALLY ALL Roblox content is UNrated