It’s the kind of case that breaks your heart every time you hear it, but for the mother of Ethan Dallas, she urges parents to continue sharing her son’s story. Like millions of other kids around the world, Ethan Dallas signed up for a Roblox account. Advertised as an interactive world where kids can use their imagination, Ethan played it enthusiastically, building imaginative worlds that allowed him to express his creativity. According to his mother, gaming was an outlet for Ethan.
However, what started as innocent game play turned into a nightmare, as Ethan was targeted by a sexual predator when he was just 12 years old. Three years later, and after years of abuse, Ethan died by suicide.
Sexual Predator Targeted and Exploited Teen on Roblox
Before signing up for the game, Becca did what all loving parents do: warn their child about the dangers that come with online platforms. She read reviews, set up parental controls, advised him to never click on any suspicious links, and most importantly, reminded Ethan that he could always come to her if he had any questions or concerns.
But, at first, the friendship he built online with a child the same age as him didn’t feel alarming. If anything, it felt friendly, as the two would bounce ideas off one another. However, the “child” Ethan was playing with turned out to be a thirty-three year old man and sexual predator targeting him. Once the predator gained Ethan’s trust, he began grooming him, eventually moving the conversation off Roblox and onto Discord where the abuse escalated. The predator coerced Ethan to send explicit photos to him, and then threatened to put those images online and tell his parents if he ever stopped.
Knowing his mom was a safe space, Ethan eventually confided in her. However, tragically, the years of sexual exploitation had already taken their toll. “It was dark,” Becca Dallas told CNN. “We had a dark time with him, but no matter what he put a smile on.” Ethan was lovingly described as a fun, kind-hearted kid, who adored his nieces as much as he loved baseball and helping others. “It’s true what they say that those that want to help others are the ones that are holding so much pain,” Becca explained. “He held it in for years and to have that shame and innocence taken away by this predator…it just hurts my soul.”
Allegations Against Roblox and Discord
The allegations against Roblox and Discord are numerous and incredibly tragic. In the case of Ethan Dallas, the lawsuit alleges that both platforms lacked the proper security measures needed to keep children safe. Specifically, the lawsuit states, “As the Defendants well know, the design of their apps makes children easy prey for pedophiles, and Defendants had no appropriate safeguards to ensure that children were in fact safe or that predators were screened.”
The devastating harm that has resulted from this platform has led the Attorney Generals from Louisiana and Kentucky to file lawsuits against Roblox, highlighting that concern over this dangerous platform is growing nationwide. Anapol Weiss is at the forefront of this litigation, having filed more than 10 cases already against Roblox.
Roblox’s Response
Following Becca’s appearance, the team at CNN reached out to Roblox for a statement. Per Roblox, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and our hearts go out to the family. Roblox does not allow users to share images or videos, and none of the images involved were shared on our platform. Protecting children online is an industry-wide challenge and we are committed to leading in safety through close collaboration with law enforcement, continuous system enhancements, and policies that are purposely stricter than those on other platforms including soon requiring proactive age estimation for all users.”
Roblox CEO and co-founder David Baszucki recently talked about this new age estimation software on the Hard Fork podcast, in which users would upload a selfie that an AI system would scan and estimate the player’s age. From there, the users would be grouped into age bands that would coincide with age restriction limitations.
When pressed about how easy it would be for a user to scan an image of an avatar and bypass the age restrictions, Baszucki explained that the age estimation software would work in conjunction with “existing safety measures”, such as chat filters (that can be easily bypassed) and optional photo ID verification (which doesn’t apply to half of Roblox’s demographic). These safety measures operate in name only, as Ethan’s predator taught him how to bypass the parental controls his mother had set up.
Alexandra Walsh Responds
Alexandra Walsh, shareholder at Anapol Weiss representing the family responded: “Words are all well and good, but what we need is action. What we need are concrete actions that are actually capable of protecting these kids. What Roblox needs to do, if it’s going to continue to hold out as a safe place for kids to be, is to stop pedophiles from being able to masquerade as kids and go after innocent and unsuspecting children. That is fundamentally the problem with Roblox and Roblox continues to market itself as being safe for kids. It’s not telling parents the truth. It’s not giving parents the information they need to make an informed decision about whether or not to allow their kids onto this platform.”
Ethan’s story is not isolated. In total, more than 60 lawsuits have been filed against Roblox, with 15 filed from Anapol Weiss, alleging everything from grooming and sexual exploitation to sexual abuse and kidnapping.
The pain Ethan’s family feels is palpable, but Becca is using that pain to warn other parents of the dangers of platforms such as Roblox and Discord. “I hate to have any parent go through this,” she expressed. “If I can make a difference today by sharing his story and save one family, then my goal is done. I’m not going to stop sharing his story. They can’t silence me.”
In an effort to avoid accountability, Roblox has tried to force arbitration in the lawsuits filed against them. However, a California Superior Court judge recently denied Roblox’s attempt to force arbitration in one family's lawsuit. Per Shareholder Alexandra Walsh, “Ethan’s story is sadly all too common on this platform. Roblox provides this incredibly powerful tool to pedophiles and it does that by allowing sex offenders to come onto the site and pretend to be kids.”
The ruling by the California Superior Court judge could be a sign of change moving forward. But one thing’s for sure: our firm will never stop pursuing justice for these families and holding Roblox and apps that coincide with them, like Discord, accountable.
We thank Becca and the rest of the Dallas family for their continued strength and courage in sharing Ethan’s story and we are dedicated to honoring his memory. If you believe your child was groomed on Roblox, you don’t have to go through this alone. Contact us today at 215-735-1130 to speak with a member of our team.
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.