The state of Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging that the company has “permitted and perpetuated an online environment in which child predators thrive, directly contributing to the widespread victimization of minor children in Louisiana.”
Roblox sees more than 111.8 million daily active users, and it’s hugely popular with children, with users under 13 comprising nearly 40 percent of players last quarter. However, the platform has come under significant scrutiny over reported failures to protect children on the platform, with Bloomberg publishing a major report last year about predators on Roblox and the investment firm Hindenburg Research alleging that its research revealed “an X-rated pedophile hellscape.” In recent months, Roblox has taken steps to bolster its child safety features, including introducing parent accounts that can manage their child’s account and the ability for parents to block people on their child’s friend list.
But Louisiana alleges that Roblox’s “deliberate failure to implement effective safety measures to protect child users from well-documented predatory threats, along with its ongoing failure to warn parents and children of the foreseeable dangers posed by its platform, has directly facilitated the widespread sexual exploitation of minors and inflicted severe, lasting harm upon the children of Louisiana,” according to the complaint.
“Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety,” Attorney General Liz Murrill says. “Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home.”
In a statement to Bloomberg, an unnamed Roblox spokesperson says that “we dedicate substantial resources, including advanced technology and 24/7 human moderation, to help detect and prevent inappropriate content and behavior, including attempts to direct users off platform, where safety standards and moderation may be less stringent than ours. While no system is perfect, Roblox has implemented rigorous technology and enforcement safeguards, including restrictions on sharing personal information, links, and user-to-user image sharing. The safety of our community is a top priority.” Roblox didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment from The Verge.
Seven lawsuits regarding child predator issues have been filed against Roblox in a “little over two weeks,” Bloomberg reports.
This week, Roblox published a post on its website about why it removes what it describes as “vigilantes” who try to catch bad actors on Roblox by using tactics “similar to actual predators.” One user, who goes by “Schlep” and says on his X profile that he has contributed to “6 Roblox arrests and counting,” posted screenshots on X last week of what he says was a cease-and-desist notice by Roblox.