Virtual Playground or Danger Zone? The Roblox Safety Debate
Roblox, the massively popular online platform where millions of users play games and socialise in virtual worlds, is facing growing scrutiny over child safety concerns. Despite calls for its inclusion in Australia's upcoming under-16s social media ban, the gaming platform currently remains exempt due to its classification as primarily a gaming service.
What Makes Roblox So Popular Among Young Users?
A 2024 eSafety study revealed Roblox ranks as the second-most popular game among young Australians, trailing only behind Minecraft and ahead of Fortnite. The platform's appeal lies in its vast universe of user-created games and social features that allow children to chat and interact with friends and strangers alike.
When questioned about its popularity on platforms like Reddit, many respondents simply stated that children enjoy content designed specifically for them, and Roblox delivers exactly that with its easy-to-play format and social elements.
Dark Realities: Grooming and Inappropriate Content
The very features that make Roblox engaging have also created significant risks. The ability for children and adults worldwide to communicate freely has led to multiple reports of minors being groomed for both child abuse and extremism.
Guardian Australia recently published a disturbing account documenting virtual sexual harassment and violence experienced during a week spent on the platform. Meanwhile, the Australian Federal Police has been issuing warnings since 2023 about extremists using Roblox to recreate historical atrocities including Nazi concentration camps and Islamic State-style conflict zones.
Why Roblox Escapes Australia's Social Media Ban
When eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant announced the list of platforms included in Australia's under-16s social media ban starting 10 December, Roblox was notably absent. The exemption stems from legislation that excludes platforms with a dominant purpose of gaming.
Inman Grant explained that while Roblox's chat functionality was considered, the primary gameplay element remained the central focus. "If the online gameplay is the significant or sole purpose, if that were taken away, would the kids still use that messaging functionality to chat? Probably not," she stated.
However, she emphasised that the list remains dynamic, leaving open the possibility of including Roblox in future updates.
Enhanced Safety Measures Coming to Australian Users
In response to growing concerns, Roblox announced significant safety upgrades in September that will first roll out in Australia by the end of 2024. These changes include:
- Accounts for users under 16 becoming private by default
- Tools preventing adult users from contacting under-16s without parental consent
- Direct chat switched off by default until age verification completes
- Parental controls allowing chat disablement for 13-15 year olds
- Voice chat restrictions extending to users aged 15 and under
Inman Grant credited these improvements to ongoing negotiations between her office and Roblox, noting that while the platform's primary user base consists of five- to thirteen-year-olds, it remains a "co-mingled platform" with adult users.
The eSafety commissioner confirmed her office is employing multiple strategies to enhance platform safety, including safety-by-design principles and established codes and standards, acknowledging that blanket bans aren't the only solution to protecting young users online.
