Australian regulators push major gaming platforms to tighten child safety measures
The eSafety Commission warned Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and Steam to improve safeguards against child exploitation and radicalisation, noting progress but persistent gaps.
The eSafety Commission released findings on the safety practices of Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and Steam, following notices issued in April that required explanations of adherence to the government's Basic Online Safety Expectations. Roblox, the second-most popular platform among Australian children, added accessible reporting, blocked unsolicited adult contact without parental consent, and set child accounts to private by default after a court-mandated undertaking.
Despite these steps, the commission highlighted that the other three platforms continue to depend on users self-declaring their age, granting access to features such as all-ages chatrooms and unmoderated third-party servers to those who claim to be 18 or older. While Mojang Studios and Epic Games participate in some industry child-protection programs, Valve, the operator of Steam, did not engage in any identified initiatives. The regulator stressed that children deserve online environments free from predators, sexual extortion, extremist content and other harms, urging providers to deploy systems that can detect and block serious threats before exposure.
Why it matters
Children's safety online hinges on effective safeguards by popular gaming platforms.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage emphasizes the regulator's criticism of major platforms for serious child-safety gaps, while right-leaning coverage highlights regulators urging improvements, noting Roblox’s recent safeguards but condemning other platforms for lax age verification.
LEFT
Frames the story as the eSafety regulator sharply criticizing major gaming platforms for inadequate child-protection measures and calling for stronger age verification and monitoring.
RIGHT
Frames the story as regulators pushing platforms to tighten safety, pointing to Roblox’s new safeguards while faulting other services for relying on self-reported ages.
The left emphasises
- Platforms lack proactive detection tools for child sexual exploitation, extremist propaganda, and violent content.
- These gaps have facilitated grooming and radicalisation of minors.
- The commissioner urges improved age verification, expanded content monitoring, and industry collaboration.
The right emphasises
- Roblox added accessible reporting, blocked unsolicited adult contact, and set child accounts to private by default.
- Other platforms still depend on users self-declaring their age, allowing access to all-ages chatrooms and unmoderated servers.
- Regulators highlight the need for tighter safety measures across all platforms.
In this story
