Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says Roblox has been forced to adopt new child safety measures after concerns about harmful content, but the platform may not be covered by the upcoming teen social media ban.
The comments follow an ABC investigation that revealed children had been exposed to child sexual abuse material and extremist content on Roblox. While parents have urged that the platform be included in the teen social media ban set to begin in December, Inman Grant explained that the law only applies to platforms whose “sole or significant” purpose is social interaction. Roblox, as a gaming platform with social features, may fall outside that definition.
Still, regulators have extracted major concessions from Roblox under existing powers. The company has agreed to:
- Make all accounts for users under 16 private by default.
- Introduce tools preventing adult users from contacting teens without parental consent.
- Roll out facial age estimation technology to strengthen age verification.
- Expand age-gating, parental controls, and AI-driven content moderation.
Inman Grant stressed that these changes are critical because Roblox’s primary user base is children aged 5–13, yet the platform has become a “co-mingled” space where adults and children interact. She said her office initially threatened formal regulatory action, but Roblox agreed to cooperate voluntarily.
The Commissioner also emphasized the need for clear guardrails so children can tell whether they are interacting with peers or adults. Roblox has until the end of 2025 to fully implement the measures to the regulator’s satisfaction.
The case highlights the growing scrutiny of online platforms in Australia as the government prepares to enforce its world-first teen social media ban. While Roblox may avoid inclusion in the ban, it remains under close watch for compliance with new safety standards.
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