Australia's eSafety Regulator Issues Legal Notices to Roblox, Minecraft, and Other Gaming Platforms on Child Safety

Gate News message, April 22 — Australia's eSafety Commissioner issued legally enforceable notices on April 22 to Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and Steam, requiring them to disclose how they protect children from sexual grooming and prevent radicalisation. The notices cover safety systems, staffing, and cybersecurity protocols; non-compliance could result in fines up to $825,000 per day and civil action.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant noted that online games and messaging services are common contact points for grooming, sexual extortion, and extremist recruitment, with nine in 10 Australians aged 8 to 17 playing online games. The move comes as Roblox agreed on April 21 to pay more than $23 million to settle claims by Alabama and West Virginia over alleged child sexual exploitation. The settlement requires age verification before chat access and blocks adults from contacting users under 16 unless they are verified trusted friends. Settlement funds will also support parent safety workshops and a dedicated internet safety specialist working with state law enforcement.

The regulatory action marks an expansion of Australia's oversight from social media platforms to gaming ecosystems.