In April 2024, a Philadelphia mother learned that her 12-year old daughter was groomed by a man she met online while playing Roblox. Touted as a place where kids can learn to code and be creative, Roblox has earned a reputation by the media as a “pedophile hellscape,” in which predators disguise themselves as young kids to gain the trust of and later exploit our society’s most vulnerable.
The child joined Roblox at nine years old back in 2021 and befriended someone who tricked her into believing he was a minor. The predator then convinced her to download and use Snapchat, eventually coercing her to send explicit photos and videos of herself to him. When she pushed back, he threatened to release the materials online.
Now, the child’s mother is suing Roblox.
What is Roblox?
Roblox is an online gaming platform where players can build their own games, role-play, and interact with other gamers. What makes Roblox unique from other games on the market is its ability for players to create their own games, or “experiences.” However, what’s meant to foster creativity has, instead, led to the creation of disturbing and inappropriate games centered around everything from P. Diddy to Jeffrey Epstein.
Not only do young children have access to these games, but the platform’s lax safety features have enabled predators to target vulnerable children.
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Lawsuits Filed Against Roblox Allege Grooming and Sexual Abuse
The disturbing details in this most recent filing are sadly not isolated. As Anapol Weiss shareholder Alexandra Walsh shared with The Philadelphia Inquirer, there are more than 30 lawsuits against Roblox nationwide. Though Anapol Weiss is not representing this girl or her family in their case against Roblox, we have filed 11 lawsuits alleging similar abuse so far.
The majority of these lawsuits cite Roblox’s lack of safety features, including the absence of age and identity verification during sign-up. This makes it incredibly easy for registered sex offenders to create Roblox accounts and disguise themselves as kids. In the case of this young girl, the predator bypassed a feature designed to stop users from moving conversations off the platform.
Regarding Roblox, Walsh said, “If you’re operating an online platform that you tell parents is a safe place for your kids to play online, at a minimum, you should have some kind of check-in place to make sure that you’re not letting registered sex offenders onto your platform.”
Roblox updated some of its safety features in 2024, including parental controls and how children under 13 are allowed to communicate with players. However, per Walsh, the “jury is still out” as to whether or not these changes will be sufficient.
For the children in these lawsuits, one thing’s for certain, though: These changes come too little, too late.
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Roblox Lawsuits Move Toward Consolidation
To keep the lawsuits against Roblox centralized, a petition with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has been filed. While this would streamline the process, it also won’t come without a fight since Roblox claims immunity, citing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which protects internet publishers from third-party speech.
Furthermore, Roblox claims that users waive their right to a jury trial at sign-up and because of this, has moved to arbitration in the majority of lawsuits filed against them. While this is not an uncommon move by large corporations, it’s worth pointing out that the majority of Roblox’s users are 13 years old and younger, and furthermore, don’t require a parent’s consent to join.
Alexandra Walsh says, with this move, Roblox is “trying to silence” the children that have been sexually exploited. “If Roblox wants to defend its conduct here, they should. But they should do it in open court and in public and in front of a jury.”
If you or your child was groomed, sexually exploited, or sexually abused while playing Roblox, contact Anapol Weiss for a free and confidential consultation. We’re here to explain your rights and hold Roblox accountable for their negligence.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.