UK authorities are exploring a potential ban on in-game online communication features for users under the age of 16. Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan stated that this initiative aims to protect teenagers from malicious actors who use gaming platforms to establish unwanted contacts.

The regulator's primary focus is on services that allow "connections with strangers," including social gaming environments like Roblox. In response, platforms such as PlayStation and Xbox are already implementing age verification systems, which will become mandatory for UK users later this month. Individuals who fail to verify their age or confirm they are minors will lose access to certain online features, such as voice chat with users outside their friends list. If platform-level mechanisms prove insufficient, regulators intend to hold game publishers directly responsible for enforcing these restrictions.

The approach, which treats a user as a minor by default until proven otherwise, has previously sparked public debate due to concerns over adult privacy infringement. Notably, Australia recently excluded video games from its social media ban for minors, arguing that infinite-scroll algorithms typical of social networks do not apply to gaming. However, the likelihood of strict restrictions being applied to the gaming sector in the UK remains high. Final measures will depend on whether authorities deem the platforms' new tools adequate.