Story perspectives

Roblox Agrees to Child-Safety Undertaking Under Online Safety Act

8/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant secured a court-enforceable undertaking from Roblox to protect children.
Roblox must block adults from contacting unknown children without parental consent within three months.
Roblox must set accounts to private by default and add outcome-notification tools.
Roblox must hire an independent auditor to assess safety measures and age-estimation.
The undertaking is the first external safety audit required under Australia’s Online Safety Act.

History

Historical Context

In 1998 Congress enacted COPPA, effective April 21 2000, to require verifiable parental consent for data from children under 13. After the FTC’s 2019 $170 million fine against Google for violating those rules, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant ordered Roblox in 2024 to block unsolicited adult contact and make child accounts private. These actions show regulators worldwide are tightening age-verification and audit requirements.

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Story summary

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant secured a court-enforceable undertaking from Roblox to protect children.
Roblox must block adults from contacting unknown children without parental consent within three months.
Roblox must set accounts to private by default and add outcome-notification tools.
Roblox must hire an independent auditor to assess safety measures and age-estimation.
The undertaking is the first external safety audit required under Australia’s Online Safety Act.

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