Gaming platforms falling short on child safety, eSafety Commission warns
Australia's eSafety Commission found big gaps. Major gaming platforms don't protect children well. But some companies are making changes.
The eSafety Commission released a report Friday detailing how four major gaming platforms responded to safety notices from April. Some platforms introduced new safety tools, but big gaps still remained.
Technology moves faster than governments can keep up with, and experts warn about this. Gaming companies avoid adding strong safety features to make more money.
Extra protections can slow platform growth. Meta faced an $18 billion lawsuit over Instagram's harm to children.
But studios behind Fortnite and Steam chose not to share data through the Lantern Project. That project is an industry scheme designed to find adults who prey on children across platforms.
Australia's market is relatively small, so companies see little reason to follow local safety rules. Yet experts say Australia punches above its weight in setting gaming regulations.
- Four major gaming platforms
- Platforms reviewed
- $18 billion over Instagram harm
- Meta lawsuit
- Industry scheme to find child predators
- Lantern Project
Why it mattersGaming platforms aren't keeping up with child safety rules. This leaves families in danger. Even government pressure and industry standards haven't fixed this.
AustraliaAustralian regulators are leading globally on gaming safety, but companies continue resisting stronger protections, putting Australian children at risk.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
