Roblox CEO Dave Basuki joined The New York Times' Hard Fork Podcast to discuss the gaming platform's new age verification feature, but seemed irritated by the number of questions focused on child safety.
The interview began with Baschi explaining the feature, which requires all users to submit a facial scan if they want to access Roblox's messaging features. But by the time Baschi was asked about reports alleging that the company prioritized growth over safety, he seemed tired of the topic, saying, “That's interesting. Let's keep talking.”
And when co-host Kevin Roos agreed that one of the best ways for Roblox to improve child safety is to improve its AI models, Baschi insisted, “Well, you're in tune with what we're doing. Give me a high five.”
“I want to emphasize: I'm here because I love your podcast and I'm here to talk about everything,” he added. “So if a publicist says, 'Let's talk for an hour about age restrictions,' I'm happy to oblige, but I love your pod. I thought we were here to talk about everything.”