Roblox agrees to improve child safety measures in Australia
Roblox has agreed to take steps to enhance child safety on its platform following concerns raised by Australia's eSafety Commissioner. The company will strengthen protections against adult contact with minors and improve privacy settings.
Australia has secured a court-enforceable undertaking from Roblox aimed at bolstering child safety on the gaming platform. The agreement requires Roblox to implement stronger measures to prevent harmful contact between adults and children, alongside enhancements to children's privacy settings.
The company will also revise its reporting systems for harmful content, a move that follows an investigation by eSafety into Roblox's compliance with Australian online safety standards. The investigation highlighted concerns regarding adult-to-child contact without parental consent, children's privacy, and the accessibility of reporting mechanisms for problematic content.
Under the undertaking, Roblox must, within three months, prevent adults from sending connection requests to accounts belonging to minors without parental or guardian consent. Users who have not undergone age verification will also be restricted from posting on community forums. Children's connection lists and profile information will be made private by default.
Roblox is also obligated to inform Australian users about the outcomes of reports concerning illegal or highly harmful content, including child sexual abuse material, within three months. The reporting form will be made more accessible through in-app links, including on Android devices, and the URL field will become optional.
The company will also appoint an independent auditor to assess compliance with these commitments annually throughout the three-year term of the undertaking. The audit will also examine Roblox's age-assurance systems and efforts to prevent their circumvention.