Popular Game Under Fire After Mounting Allegations of Failing to Protect Minors
DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A Case for Women LLC, a women-owned organization dedicated to educating women about how to access contingency fee civil legal services, is warning parents that Roblox, a popular online gaming platform marketed to children as young as five years old, may be putting children at risk of sexual exploitation. According to recent lawsuits, Roblox has been accused of lackluster safety protocols when it comes to protecting users, often children.
“I’ve been completely shocked at the number of parents who have reached out to us about their children being targeted by predators on Roblox,” said Susan Jones Knape, president of A Case for Women. “These aren’t “absent” parents – these are parents who have tried to do everything right and assumed that a company marketing its products to kids would also do the right thing. Yet, they’re finding the in-game safety features are not effective – and that predators can easily coach a child through creating additional accounts, downloading and using other chat apps like Discord, or keeping communication hidden. Bottom line: Roblox is not doing enough to keep children safe on their platform and they need to be held accountable. These parents are devastated.”
According to a July 2024 article by Bloomberg, Roblox has over 78 million users, many of whom are under the age of 13. Yet, Roblox only has about 3,000 moderators, which is significantly fewer than TikTok, which has over 2 billion users and is not marketed to minors.
Mounting lawsuits have accused Roblox of leaving an “unlocked door” that predators have exploited, claiming that Roblox has not done enough to protect children on the platform.
Here are some red flags to look if you think your child may be hiding something from you on Roblox:
- Sudden secrecy in regard to screentime
- Gaming late into the night
- Mystery “friends” they won’t give more information about
- Mood swings or anxiety with no discernible trigger
- Multiple or hidden accounts
Roblox isn’t the only online platform named in these lawsuits. Discord, a chat app that allows for instant communication via text, video calls, voice calls, and other media, has also been accused of offering a space where predators can exploit children online without proper moderation or protection, sometimes resulting in serious harm to a child, such as facilitating in-person meetings that result in sexual abuse or even trafficking.
Advocates at A Case for Women urge parents to contact them right away if they suspect their child has been the target of online predators. Even if law enforcement, the FBI and/or Homeland Security has already been involved, it is important to consider joining civil litigation that will pursue the root cause of the problem. We hope to hear from you soon.
About A Case for Women
A Case for Women, founded in 2015, is the nation’s leader in advocating for women who have been sexually assaulted or otherwise harmed due to corporate misconduct. It is our mission to educate women and their families about opportunities to take civil legal action that not only provides compensation but also creates systemic change. We educate, advocate, and ultimately connect women with experienced law firms that represent survivors on a contingency fee basis. Since our inception, we have spoken with hundreds of thousands of people who have been harmed by the negligence of institutions and companies that chose profits over people. This work has resulted in significant societal changes, such as the dramatic shift in gymnastics coaching after the Larry Nassar MSU lawsuit, the implementation of rideshare safety protocols, the removal of Essure birth control from the U.S. market, changes in the Catholic Church, removal of asbestos-laced talcum powder from the market, and many more.
Contacts
Amanda Billo
A Case for Women
682-465-2165
amanda@acaseforwomen.com
