started · updated
Australia eSafety Commission finds major child safety gaps in gaming platforms
Australia’s eSafety Commission has released a report identifying significant child safety gaps across major gaming platforms, including Steam, Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft. The findings suggest that inadequate safeguards expose children to risks such as sexual exploitation, blackmail, and violent extremism.
According to the report, Valve (owner of Steam) was the only provider that did not utilize industry-standard technology to detect and remove known harmful content. Additionally, Valve and Roblox were noted for relying solely on internal data to train language detection systems without regular retraining. The commission also highlighted that Minecraft and Fortnite often allow users to self-declare their age, which can grant unauthorized access to high-risk communication features.
Experts, including Professor Michael Salter of the University of New South Wales, warned that sadistic online networks are using these platforms to coerce children into acts of self-mutilation and violence. The report further noted that Epic Games failed to participate in a global program designed to share information regarding security breaches related to child exploitation.
Entities
Epic Games · Julie Inman Grant · Mojang Studios · Roblox · Valve · eSafety Commission
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Valve was the only provider that did not use industry-standard technology to detect and remove known harmful content. fjala.al
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Roblox and Valve rely on internal data to train language detection systems and lack regular model retraining. fjala.al
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Epic Games failed to share breach instances with other platforms under a global program designed to combat child exploitation. english.alsiasi.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Australia’s eSafety Commission found significant child safety gaps in major gaming platforms. fjala.al · english.alsiasi.com · www.brisbanetimes.com.au · www.smh.com.au
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Minecraft and Fortnite generally allow users to self-declare their age, potentially granting access to high-risk communication features. english.alsiasi.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Online networks are using popular gaming platforms to coerce children into self-mutilation and violence. www.brisbanetimes.com.au · www.smh.com.au