The Australian government urges Roblox to address significant child safety issues deemed "untenable"

Australia's communications minister has requested an explanation from Roblox over worries about child safety on its platform. Allegations of child exploitation and inappropriate content exposure have prompted this call to action.

As reported by The Guardian, Anika Wells, along with eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant, have communicated their concerns to Roblox in response to alarming incidents involving child grooming and harmful content.

Although platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are prohibited for users under 16 in Australia, this restriction doesn't extend to gaming services such as Roblox.

Wells expressed her disturbance over reports that minors are exposed to explicit user-generated content on Roblox, including sexually explicit and suicidal themes.

In a written address, Wells stated the alarming nature of children being targeted by potential predators on the platform, emphasizing the widespread concern among Australian families.

Inman Grant expressed gratitude for the support from the Minister for Communications and emphasized efforts to enhance online safety for Australian children.

In a prior undercover report by Guardian Australia, issues of virtual harassment, including violent and inappropriate interactions even with parental controls activated, were highlighted.

Roblox's response to Wells' letter is still pending. Meanwhile, Wells has requested advice from Inman Grant's office on potential immediate actions, such as reviewing Roblox's content rating or expanding online safety regulations.

Roblox has been progressively enhancing its safety measures over the last year. Noteworthy changes include the addition of a "sensitive issues" content label and restricting users under 13 from accessing direct messaging functions, as highlighted in factual sources like GamesIndustry.biz.

In recent developments, age verification processes were implemented globally to restrict chat access to verified users only, further ensuring the safety of young users on the platform.