Roblox Commits to Enhanced Child Safety Measures in Australia by 2025

Australia's online safety regulator announced on Monday that gaming company Roblox Corp has agreed to introduce new measures aimed at reducing the risk of adults grooming children on its platform. The California-based firm, known for allowing users to create their own games, plans to implement these changes by the end of 2025.

Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, highlighted Australia’s proactive stance on combating online harm, including a forthcoming ban preventing under-16s from accessing social media platforms. She noted that popular children’s platforms like Roblox can unfortunately attract predators who prey on young users.

"We know that when it comes to platforms that are popular with children, they also become popular with adult predators seeking to prey on them," Inman Grant stated. "Roblox is no exception and has become a popular target for paedophiles seeking to groom children."

Under the commitment, Roblox will disable direct messaging for Australian users unless their age has been estimated and will prohibit adults from communicating with children under 16. Globally, the company has announced plans to implement age verification on communication features by the end of the year to regulate interactions between adults and minors.

A Roblox spokesperson said, "We share the eSafety Commission's mission to protect children as we remain focused on our long-term vision to connect people with optimism and civility."

Inman Grant reported ongoing discussions with Roblox's legal and safety teams over several months to express regulatory concerns and expectations.

The Australian regulator is also set to enforce new rules in the coming months that tackle harmful online content, including explicit material and AI chatbots capable of inappropriate conversations. December will see the enforcement of a ban on under-16s signing up for major social media sites.

Highlighting the importance of industry responsibility, Inman Grant said, "We want platforms to view safety as a high ceiling rather than a dirt floor with companies doing more than just the bare minimum."

She pledged to monitor Roblox’s adherence to the agreed safety measures and noted that the regulator has the authority to impose fines up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million) for non-compliance.

"While I welcome Roblox's commitments to improved safety, I would also urge parents and carers to remain vigilant and actively support children in navigating online environments safely," Inman Grant added.

An independent Australian government study recently confirmed that age verification can be conducted confidentially, efficiently, and effectively, although no universal solution exists for all contexts.