Professor Michael Salter, a child exploitation expert at the University of New South Wales, described the severity of the abuse, stating that children are being forced into sexual contact with animals, to eat faeces, and to sexually abuse infants. "Any child who is drawn into one of these networks, their life is forever changed," he said.
The e-safety commissioner's report, published on Friday, specifically criticised Valve, the developer of Steam and Steam Chat, and Epic Games, publisher of Fortnite, for lacking adequate safeguards. The networks of concern have been linked to these platforms as well as Roblox and Minecraft.
According to the article, members of the notorious global abuse network 764 have been involved in targeting Australian children. The report follows a separate case in which a member of a Swedish extremism network was jailed for abuse of an Australian girl.
The warnings come as authorities highlight the need for stronger protections on gaming platforms where predators can easily contact and groom children. The e-safety commissioner's findings add pressure on gaming companies to implement better safety measures.