Yep, Roblox is back in the headlines again for some of the worst reasons possible: A lawsuit filed last week in the superior court of San Francisco, California, accuses the game platform as well as the chat program Discord of enabling the alleged sexual abuse and exploitation of a minor over the span of several years.
The suit in question was filed by a Florida teenager who describes her time in-game shortly after starting the game at 12 years old, when she met a man who allegedly began grooming her, coercing her to send explicit photos and videos of herself, and using those as blackmail against her. Attorneys for the girl say in the suit that she had become severely depressed, self-harmed, and attempted suicide as a result of the abuse she allegedly faced.
While the teenager’s story is the leading detail, the suit points out that her story, along with prior reporting from news outlets and short-selling firms, are an indication of the lax safety controls provided by both Roblox and Discord. “This action […] is not just a battle to vindicate Plaintiff’s rights,” the suit argues. “It is a stand against Defendants’ systemic failures to protect society’s most vulnerable from unthinkable harm in pursuit of financial gain over child safety.”
A Roblox spokesperson has provided a statement that effectively says the company cannot comment on legal proceedings but also talks up the “advanced technology” of filters and human moderation teams. It’s here that we point out Roblox Corp’s own CEO has told parents who are uncomfortable with their children using Roblox to turn the game off.
This new lawsuit represents a fresh layer of mounting legal pressure being applied to Roblox. The company is also facing similar child sexual abuse allegations from a February lawsuit, and the Florida state attorney general has issued a subpoena to Roblox Corp demanding documents and inter-office comms related to child safety, age verification, marketing practices, and content moderation. Readers may also recall that Roblox was hit with another lawsuit alleging sexual exploitation of a minor back in 2022. Add it to the list.
