Children Under 10 Years Need Assistance When Playing Roblox

Illustration of playing roblox. (Shutterstock)

JAKARTA - In today's digital era, many children spend time playing online games as a form of entertainment and self-exploration. One of the most popular games among children is Roblox, a platform that allows players to create and play various types of games made by other users.

Despite containing educational potential such as studying design and programming, Roblox still requires supervision and assistance from parents, especially for children under 10 years of age. Active assistance is very important so that children are not exposed to inappropriate content and still benefit positively from using technology.

The Executive Board of Esports Indonesia (PBESI) emphasized the importance of the presence of parents when children access Roblox. Deputy Chairperson of the PBESI Competition, Glorya Famiela Rahalallo, stated that Roblox can be a means to hone children's creativity and introduce them to the coding world and game design from an early age.

"However, it is necessary to involve parents who are not only active, but also have an understanding of technology. That way, the positive potential of this game can be maximized and the negative risk can be minimized," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

Roblox itself is a community-based online gaming platform that provides freedom for users to create and play various mini games. Unfortunately, not all available content has gone through a rigorous filtering process, so there are still a number of games that contain elements of violence, horror, or other content that are not feasible for children.

Therefore, Glorya suggested that Roblox be played by children aged at least 10 years. However, if a younger child wants to play, then parents must provide extra supervision so that their child is not exposed to inappropriate content.

He also added that parents should not only prohibit their children from playing games, but also learn about the digital ecosystem that their children participate in. This can help parents provide the right guidance and build healthy relationships in the digital world.

"It is important for parents to apply the principle of digital parenting. Don't just be a supervisor, but be part of the digital experience of children," he said.

Glorya also emphasized that online games can be a means of learning, socializing, and even opening career opportunities, as long as their use is properly monitored. To help with this surveillance process, he recommends using a parental control application that can limit the types of games that can be accessed by children and monitor their interactions online.

In addition, Glorya reminded parents to regulate the duration of their children in playing games and encourage them to carry out physical activities and complete other responsibilities, such as schoolwork. Open communication with children is also the key so that they feel comfortable sharing experiences, including about the games they are playing.

"Take time to check children's accounts and play history regularly," he added.

On the other hand, the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu'ti, also reminded the dangers of negative content that could appear in games such as Roblox. When visiting SDN Cideng 2, Central Jakarta, he emphasized the importance of avoiding games that contain elements of violence and harsh words.

"If you play with your cellphone, don't look at violence, don't fight or bad words. Playing games must also be picky, don't be careless," he told the students.

Abdul Mu'ti also appealed to parents to be more active in accompanying their children when using gadgets, so that negative impacts from excessive use can be prevented as early as possible.