FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA. September 12, 2025. Anapol Weiss has filed a lawsuit against Roblox Corporation and Discord Inc. on behalf of the mother of Ethan Dallas, a 15-year-old boy, who died by suicide after years of being groomed and abused on the gaming platform, Roblox.
At just 12 years old, Ethan was identified and targeted by an adult sex predator who was able to use Roblox to pose as a child and befriend Ethan. After gaining Ethan’s trust, the predator encouraged Ethan to turn off parental controls and move the conversation to Discord, where he coerced Ethan into sharing explicit images. Discord allowed Ethan to create an account and communicate with adults without any parental oversight.
Ethan, who had autism and struggled with bullying, turned to Roblox as a social outlet. The “friend” he thought was a child was actually a 33-year-old man later arrested on child exploitation charges.
“This case lays bare the devastating consequences when billion-dollar platforms knowingly design environments that enable predators to prey on vulnerable children,” said Alexandra Walsh, partner at Anapol Weiss. “As detailed in our complaint, Roblox permits anonymous accounts, sexually explicit games, and direct communication between adults and minors. Discord provides predators an unmonitored channel to escalate exploitation. These companies are raking in billions. Children are paying the price.”
The litigation challenges efforts by Roblox and Discord to evade accountability through forced arbitration and misuse of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Recent federal rulings suggest narrowing these defenses, which could allow families like Ethan’s to have their day in court.
Growing Public Outcry
“This is not an isolated case,” said Pat Huyett, partner at Anapol Weiss. “Across the country, families are coming forward with nearly identical stories of how Roblox and Discord enabled predators to exploit children. These lawsuits represent a growing reckoning with tech companies that try to hide behind inapplicable legal defenses while ignoring preventable harm.”
The Dallas case is the ninth in a series of lawsuits filed by Anapol Weiss on behalf of families nationwide whose children were groomed and exploited or assaulted after contact on Roblox and related platforms. Collectively, the filings allege a systemic pattern: platforms marketed as safe for kids while predators exploit well-known gaps in moderation, verification, and parental controls.
The devastating experience Ethan endured before his death is covered in a story published today in the New York Times, which can be found here.
About Anapol Weiss
Anapol Weiss, a Philadelphia-based majority women-owned law firm, has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for survivors of abuse, consumer fraud, and corporate negligence. The firm is at the forefront of litigation seeking to hold major tech companies accountable for enabling child exploitation. For more information, visit www.anapolweiss.com.
Media Contact: Sarah Boim, Esquire Digital, (404) 386-2538, sarah@esquiredigital.com
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.
