In this week’s Plugged In by Wired Parents, we cover online safety. Roblox has just taken a bold step by open-sourcing its new AI tool that scans billions of messages daily to detect predators, an industry first that could reshape child protection across gaming. Meanwhile, Europe is testing a privacy-first way to keep kids away from adult spaces online without collecting personal data, a move that could sidestep the surveillance pitfalls of other age checks.

Beyond policy and tech, we look at the everyday realities of raising digital kids, from why some parents send children out phone-free, to what teens themselves say actually works to reduce screen time. Plus, a closer look at “Steal a Brain Rot,” the fast-paced mobile game that’s stealing more than just in-game points, it’s capturing attention spans too.

TL;DR: Roblox open-sources AI to spot predators, Europe trials privacy-first age checks, and a fast-paced teen game raises attention span concerns.

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Roblox has launched Sentinel, an open-source AI system designed to detect predatory behavior in online chats. Sentinel analyzes around 6 billion messages daily, using pattern recognition across entire conversations—not just single messages—to flag suspicious user behavior. When potential grooming or predatory conduct is identified, the system triggers deeper analysis of chat history, friendship interactions, and gameplay. In the first half of 2025 alone, Sentinel’s efforts led to 1,200 reports submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Importantly, by open-sourcing Sentinel, Roblox hopes other platforms will benefit and adopt similar standards. This move comes amid intense scrutiny of gaming platforms’ child safety protocols—sparked by high-profile cases like the 13-year-old in Iowa allegedly exploited after meeting a predator on Roblox.

This update marks a significant shift: Roblox isn’t just reactive—it’s setting a standard for proactive, transparent child safety. For parents, it’s a hopeful sign, though no AI system is flawless. Continued communication with children and oversight remain essential.

🔗 Sources – AP

Age verification has long been a balancing act: how do you keep children away from adult-only spaces online without creating a surveillance nightmare? The European Commission thinks it may have found an answer and it’s currently putting it to the test.

A new pilot programme, running in Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy, uses Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology to verify whether a user is over 18 without revealing any personal information. In practical terms, this means a platform can confirm you meet the age requirement but it never actually sees your date of birth, ID number, or other sensitive details.

The system works via a “Mini Wallet” app, which could eventually allow one seamless, privacy-preserving check across multiple services and EU countries. It’s a very different approach from the UK’s model, which relies on third-party verification services and has been criticised for being more intrusive and less secure.

This trial is part of the EU’s Digital Services Act rollout, which requires platforms to protect minors from harmful content and age-restricted services. By focusing on interoperability and privacy, Brussels hopes to create a single, trusted framework rather than a patchwork of national rules.

But while the tech is promising, not everyone is convinced. Digital rights advocates warn that families without official IDs or modern devices could be excluded. Others question how well the system will prevent determined underage users from bypassing the checks. And, as with any new infrastructure, there are questions about whether “privacy-first” will hold under pressure from commercial interests or future regulatory changes.

Why this matters for parents: If successful, the pilot could mean your child encounters far fewer inappropriate spaces online without handing over your family’s personal details to yet another company. But it also highlights the ongoing challenge of building solutions that are both safe and fair.

The trial runs for several months, with feedback shaping whether the approach will roll out EU-wide. For now, it’s an experiment worth watching not just for its tech innovation, but for its attempt to keep both safety and privacy in the same conversation.

🔗 Source - TechRadar

For more articles from the week, head over to Wired-Parents.com

Steal a Brain Rot is a rising hit among teens, marketed as a quick, competitive mobile game. Players “steal” points (or “brains”) from others to climb leaderboards, with instant feedback and minimal learning curve. While seemingly harmless, its design raises questions about attention, competition, and healthy play habits.

The popularity of Steal a Brain Rot reflects a broader trend in mobile gaming — titles optimised for frequent, brief interactions that stack up to significant daily use. While the game itself may not contain explicit content, its design encourages behaviour patterns that can make it harder for young players to disengage.

For policymakers, educators, and parents, the key issue is not whether such games exist, but how to ensure they’re balanced with other activities. This might include clearer in-game playtime tools, parental controls, and digital literacy education so young users understand how these mechanics are designed to hold attention.

Steal a Brain rot

✅ Word Your Kid Probably Knows: “IYKYK”
“If You Know, You Know” — used to refer to something only a certain group understands.

🔧 Tech Tip for Tired Parents: Create a ‘tech-free’ zone
Pick one room in your home where no devices are allowed—start with the dining area.

📴 Offline Challenge of the Week: Stargazing
Lie outside and try to spot stars or constellations.

If your teen’s phone pings at a random time each day with a “Time to BeReal” notification, they’re part of one of Gen Z’s biggest photo-sharing trends. BeReal was designed as the antidote to Instagram’s curated perfection: once a day, at a surprise moment, users have two minutes to snap a photo using both their front and back cameras at the same time. No filters, no retakes (well, technically you can, but friends can see how many attempts you made).

It sounds refreshingly authentic and it can be but like most social apps, it comes with its own hidden pressures and quirks.

BeReal can be a fun, low-stakes way for teens to stay in touch without endless scrolling or algorithm-driven feeds. But it’s worth having a quick chat about location settings, not feeling pressured to post instantly, and remembering that even “authentic” spaces can come with silent social rules.

It’s one of the less problematic social apps but like any platform, its culture can shift quickly. For now, it’s closer to a modern-day Polaroid swap than a competitive beauty contest, which is a refreshing change in the teen social media landscape.

BeReal

⏰ ​Always late? Blame your time personality

👋 Why time felt slower when we were kids (and how to get it back)

🍦 The full scoop on the 98 Ben & Jerry’s icecream flavours

🚲 The secret to teaching your child to ride a bike

🌐 AOL to discontinue its dial-up internet service after 30 years

What is cut on a table but is never eaten?

A deck of cards

What building has the most stories?

A library

Congrats to Alison, Hong Kong for the correct answers!

How far can a squirrel run into the woods?

What is 3/7 chicken, 2/3 cat and 2/4 goat?

Answers next week!

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