Children

Roblox, Discord and Chat in Games: What Parents Need to Check

Is Roblox safe? Is Discord safe for kids? The real risk in games and chat apps is strangers who message children. What to check in the settings, the family rules that work, and the signs to watch for.

By MOH. SAMY · Reviewed 3 November 2026 · 3 min read

Your child says, “Everyone plays it.” And it’s probably true. Games like Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite, and chat apps like Discord, are where many children spend their free time and meet their friends.

The games themselves are not the main danger. The danger is the chat: strangers who can message a child, pretend to be another child, become a “friend”, and then move the conversation somewhere private.

The real risk, plainly

  • Strangers can make contact through game chat, friend requests and servers.
  • They often move to another app, away from the game’s moderation: a private chat, a voice call, a different platform.
  • They offer something: game currency, items, attention, a feeling of being special.
  • They ask for secrecy.

That pattern is how online grooming often starts. See Online Grooming: Signs and What to Do.

The settings check

Settings change often, so open each app and look for these, with your child next to you:

In games like Roblox:

  • Use the parental controls and link a parent account if the game offers one.
  • Set chat to off, or friends only, for younger children.
  • Turn off messages from people they don’t know.
  • Set a parental PIN so settings can’t be changed.
  • Set spending limits or turn off purchases.
  • Check the age setting on the account is your child’s real age. Many safety features depend on it.

In chat apps like Discord:

  • Check the minimum age in the app’s terms. Discord’s is 13 in most countries, and higher in some.
  • Look for a family or parent center that shows you who they talk to.
  • Turn on the safe direct message filter, and allow messages from friends only.
  • Know which servers they’re in, and leave big public ones.

Each app has a safety page for parents. Search the app’s name plus “parents guide” on its own website.

House rules that work

  1. Gaming happens in shared rooms, with headphones off sometimes, for younger children.
  2. Friends in the game are friends in real life, for younger children. Older children: tell me about new online friends.
  3. Never move a chat to another app with someone you only know online.
  4. No secrets, no gifts, no pictures, no meeting up, from anyone you met online.
  5. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, tell me. You won’t lose the game for telling.

That last rule is the one that matters. If children fear losing their game, they hide problems. Promise it, and keep the promise.

Signs to watch for

  • A new “friend” they won’t talk about, or who seems older.
  • Gifts of game currency or items from someone they don’t know.
  • Moving to secret or new apps, or hiding the screen.
  • Being upset, secretive or withdrawn after playing.

If you see these, stay calm, ask gently, and save any messages. Then see the grooming guide above.

Write your family’s rules with the Screen plan.

Sources

Next step

This week, sit with your child and open the settings of the game or app they use most. Set chat to friends only, together. Screen plan → Phone agreement →