Roblox is still trying to convince lawmakers it’s not social media
One Senate bill seeks to bar kids under 13 from social media.
it's a child labor machine
I should have documented myself before allowing my kid to play. Roblox is clearly developing addictions and is the worse for micro transactions.
Is a video game social media? Is Roblox a video game? Is simply having social functions enough to define social media or is more necessary?
When I think of social media, I think of forums, Reddit, Lemmy, Facebook, Discord, etc. Platforms and software with the sole or primary purpose of providing social interaction between users. I don't see video games as social media, though they may contain some content that provides a similar function such as an ingame chat.
Vintage Story and Dead by Daylight both contain ingame chat and multiplayer functionality, but I don't see either as social media. Though if one were to define social media in a literal sense then they would qualify. Is Roblox any different?
Consider how much these social media companies would need to gamify social media to make it not count as social media legally
Roblox is a great example of a good idea turned to shit by capitalism.
A game builder designed simply enough for kids to use was a GREAT idea. Letting developers throw together half assed obbies and "simulator" games with micro transactions was a terrible idea.
But no, I wouldn't call it social media. It's an online video game.
I agree completely. I work in a middle school and most of my kids love Roblox; that being said, they tend to play with each other instead of just chatting with random people. I used to do that all the time in StarCraft/Diablo lobbies, definitely wouldn't call it social media.
But is Roblox a problem? Absolutely.
And then on top of the micro transactions there is the other problematic part with a social game marketed primarily to children.
Oh Yes, Constantly being compared to Club Penguin. That's gotta be rough.
