Popular gaming site adds safety tools for Aussie kids after 'grooming' warning

Roblox, a site hosting user-generated games, has committed to implementing safety tools for players under 16 years old, including switching off chat features by default.

The changes come after concerns were raised by Australia's eSafety commissioner about grooming risks on the popular gaming platform.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said, "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".

"Roblox is no exception and has become a popular target for paedophiles seeking to groom children," Ms Inman Grant said.

"The time has come for platforms to take real responsibility for the safety of their users. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to hold them accountable," she said.

Roblox has previously been criticised for hosting violent or sexually explicit games and allowing adult users to promote extremist ideologies to children.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) warned parents in December 2023 that the platform hosted games set in Nazi concentration camps, Chinese communist re-education camps for Muslims, as well as Islamic State-style conflict zones.

An estimated 79 million users log into Roblox each day, and in 2023, the AFP said around 45 per cent of those users are 12 years old or younger.

A Roblox spokesperson said the company "shared the eSafety Commission's mission to protect children as [it] remains focused on a long-term vision to connect people with optimism and civility".

"We have been in active dialogue with the eSafety Commissioner about these and other enhancements to our safety features to be rolled out in Australia before the end of the year, and their announcement today reflects the constructive nature of those discussions."

Roblox has committed to introducing a suite of underage safety features to the platform by the end of 2025, the eSafety commissioner said.

Accounts made by users under 16 years will be private by default, and adult users will not be able to contact children without parental consent.

Direct messages will be automatically switched off for users under 16 years, and the 'experience chat' function within games will not be accessible.

New controls will also allow parents to disable chat functions for kids aged 13 to 15 years, and voice chat will be barred between adults and users under 15 years.

To deliver these services, Roblox was planning to expand age estimation technology. This artificial intelligence analyses facial features to determine an approximate age.

Roblox announced on September 3 that it intended to expand the use of ID age verification, verified parental consent, and facial age estimation technology, "with the goal of knowing the approximate age of everyone who is communicating on Roblox and limiting communication between adults and minors unless they know each other in the real world."

But Ms Inman Grant said the platform still posed risks to younger users.

"We're not just concerned with Roblox's communication features, but also new features the platform has introduced or said it is exploring, like dating, short-form video feeds and virtual shopping malls," she said.

"Roblox will similarly need to show me that these features also comply with relevant obligations under the codes and standards."

The implementation of these new safety tools will be "closely monitored" by the eSafety commissioner, and regulatory action may be considered 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," Ms Inman Grant said.

Roblox is an online gaming platform that allows users to create their own games as well as play those made by other users.

Though some of its most controversial games have been removed, Roblox has hosted games where users play as infamous mass shooters or sexual predators.

Roblox, owned by Roblox Corporation, was founded in 2004 by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel and hosts a range of other games not based on violent historical events.

If concerned, AFP recommends parents watch for signs of extremism, including children distancing themselves from their usual friends and family members, using hateful or emotionally-charged language or a fixation on conspiracy theories or contentious social issues.

AFP recommends speaking to children regularly and steering them toward mainstream sources of factual information, rather than forums and chat groups on the fringe of the Internet.

Parents are encouraged to be approachable.

"Coming forward isn't always easy, and your child may feel reluctant to tell you about online issues if they believe they will be punished or have their devices taken away," AFP said.

Activity on Roblox is trackable through chat and purchase history accessible through player portals.

Anyone who has information or concerns about extremists engaging with their children online are urged to take action and report.

If you think a child is in immediate danger call Triple Zero (000) or your local police (131 444).

If you prefer to report anonymously, you can visit Crime Stoppers or call their toll-free number 1800 333 000.