Bethany Alvaro 
Online gaming platform Roblox has been put on notice by the Albanese government amid claims of serious child safety risks and exposure to graphic content.
In a statement, the government expressed concern over reports of child predators using the platform to groom children.
Over 40 per cent of Roblox users are under the age of 13.
Communications Minister Anika Wells emphasised the serious and critical nature of addressing these concerns, requesting an “urgent” meeting with the platform.
“The safety of children online is non-negotiable,” said Minister Wells.
“The reports we’ve been hearing about children being exposed to graphic content on Roblox, and predators actively using the platform to groom young people, are horrendous. Something must be done – now.
“Australian parents and children expect more from Roblox. They can and must do more to protect kids, and when we meet, I’ll be asking how they propose to do that.”
Minister Wells is additionally approaching the eSafety Commissioner to examine potential tools that can be employed to mitigate these risks.
The Classification Board has also been approached, as the gaming platform was classified as PG in 2018, a rating that may no longer be accurate.
“These sorts of harms show why we need a digital duty of care, which will place the onus on digital platforms to proactively keep their users, particularly children, safe,” Minister Wells said.
“Alongside our world-leading social media minimum age, legislating a digital duty of care shows how serious we are about keeping our kids safe and making sure tech platforms – some of the most powerful companies in the world – step up to the plate.
“We have some of the strongest online safety laws in the world, but our work is not done. The internet is ever-evolving, and so too is our response.”