Safety Online - Beware of Roblox
As new federal government legislation ‘banning people under the age of 16 from signing up for social media accounts’ nears (December 10), reminders about the dangers of specific technology platforms are being circulated in the media.
One such warning is about Roblox, an online platform where users play games and create their own games and virtual worlds. It is a popular social gaming service with millions of user-created games spanning various genres, including role-playing, obstacle courses, and simulations.
Roblox is the most popular gaming app among Australian children aged between 4 and 18, making Australia the second-largest market for Roblox, behind the United States. Experts warn it has a predator problem, amid reports Australian children are being exposed to a range of disturbing experiences on the platform.
Managing director of UK-based social research agency ‘Revealing Reality’, Damon De Ionno, was quoted in a recent ABC news article as saying, "It only took a minute or two on the platform before we saw behaviour and overheard conversations that were really quite disturbing. A lot of the time you'll hear … people mimicking sex acts, making jokes about sexual assault, talking about adults and children engaging in sex acts. It's very normalised." ‘Revealing Reality's’ research from April also highlighted that children on the platform were often able to access games with sexually explicit content.
De Ionno warned that the conditions on the platform were ideal for sexual predators, as the games often look fun and innocent from the outside. Also, there are people of all ages in the same spaces and there’s no way to tell who's an adult or a child when you're in the game. Other warnings highlighted included self-harm content and far- right extremism.
How Can Parents Help?
Key eSafety Commissioner recommendations for parents include:
- keeping communication open with your child about their online life and never punishing them for reporting issues
- setting clear rules for device use and screen time
- using parental controls to manage access
- educating your child on how to protect their personal information and respond to negative experiences
- encourage a healthy balance between online and offline activities
- be aware of signs that might indicate a problem, such as changes in mood or behaviour.
Primary aged children are in their most critical period of brain development. It is our responsibility to be vigilant in staying abreast of the potential danger to their wellbeing and character development of inappropriate technology use, and supporting them accordingly.
Peter Grimes | Headmaster
Reference:
ABC News, 14 October 2025 - Roblox wants exemption from social media ban despite evidence of predators targeting children.
Reporting Inappropriate Online Use
The best place to report inappropriate online use in Australia is the eSafety Commissioner's website for issues like cyberbullying and image-based abuse.
For online crimes, report to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) via ReportCyber. In cases of immediate danger or risk of harm, call Triple Zero (000).
For general online issues:
- The eSafety Commissioner is the main body for dealing with online harm in Australia. You can report a wide range of issues, including cyberbullying, adult cyber abuse, image-based abuse, and illegal or restricted online content.
- Report directly to the platform: Most social media platforms have a way to report abuse.
- Report the user and the content to the service directly.
