SYDNEY, Feb 10 — Australia’s communications minister said today she had written to gaming giant Roblox demanding an urgent meeting over reports of child exploitation on the platform.
Around 100 million people use Roblox daily, with under-13s accounting for around 40 per cent of its 2024 users, according to the company.
But it has long faced accusations that it is not doing enough to protect children from violent and sexual content.
A 2024 report by Hindenburg Research described it as an “X-rated pedophile hellscape” that exposed children to grooming and pornography.
Today, Australia’s Communications Minister Anika Wells said she had written to Roblox bosses urging them to meet with her and explain what steps they will take to keep children safe online.
“Many of you, I think, like me, were probably disgusted by the fact that children as young as four or five are seeing graphic and gratuitous violence on this platform,” she said on national broadcaster ABC.
Wells said she had asked Australia’s internet regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, to explore taking “urgent measures” against the company.
Roblox said last year it would roll out compulsory facial recognition or ID checks for players wanting to access its chat features.
In a statement to AFP, the California-based company said it welcomed “the opportunity to inform the Minister of the steps we take to help keep our community safe”.
A spokesman insisted the firm had “robust safety policies and processes to help protect users that go beyond many other platforms”.
Roblox was among several platforms, including Discord, WhatsApp and Lego Play, deemed to be exempt from a ban on under-16s joining social media, such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, that came into effect on December 10.
Roblox has been banned by other countries including Qatar, Iraq and Turkey, primarily over child safety concerns, while the US states of Texas and Louisiana sued the app for the same reason. — AFP
Australia warns Roblox over child grooming fears
