Roblox Faces Lawsuit Over Allegations of Child Exploitation
Roblox, a widely-used gaming platform for kids, is under fire after a federal lawsuit claims the company failed to protect young users from sexual exploitation. Despite promoting safety as a priority, the lawsuit points to serious issues.
A Michigan mother filed the complaint in California on behalf of her 10-year-old daughter, alleging that Roblox allowed predators to operate freely on its platform. The lawsuit, from Dolman Law Group, argues that the company put profits before the safety of children, ignoring warnings about harmful content.
The complaint details how the young girl was allegedly befriended by an adult posing as a child. This person manipulated her into sharing explicit images. The lawsuit cites similar instances where children were groomed in-game and then led to external apps like Discord to share inappropriate content.
The lawsuit also highlights how predators exploited children’s desire for in-game currency, Robux, offering it in exchange for explicit images. The complaint notes that children often express willingness to do “anything for Robux,” making them vulnerable to exploitation.
An extensive part of the filing uncovers multiple disturbing games on Roblox that reference inappropriate themes, like strip clubs and sexual activities. It indicates that Roblox was aware of these issues yet failed to take action, allowing a harmful environment to persist.
Furthermore, the complaint mentions that users have been able to create accounts with names that hint at pedophilia and that basic safety measures, such as identity verification for young users, were not implemented.
Dolman Law Group states this lawsuit is one of five similar cases against Roblox, and they are investigating many more allegations of child exploitation. Critics argue that the company’s safety tools, like its AI moderation system, have not effectively kept harmful content at bay.
The case is especially poignant for the family involved, as their daughter, only identified as Jane Doe, has reportedly experienced trauma from her online interactions on Roblox. They are seeking damages and significant changes in how Roblox protects young users.
While Roblox has not commented on the specific lawsuit, they have previously claimed to invest heavily in user safety and to act quickly against inappropriate content when spotted.
