Louisiana attorney general sues Roblox

The attorney general of Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, accusing the platform of failing to implement basic safety controls and making the site the “perfect place for pedophiles.”

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday by Attorney General Liz Murrill, alleges that Roblox “has and continues to facilitate the distribution of child sexual abuse material and the sexual exploitation of Louisiana’s children.” It also accuses the platform of purposely not rolling out basic safety controls to protect children from predators and failing to notify parents of risks.

Roblox, which launched in 2006, has 82 million daily active users. The lawsuit notes that 20% of these users are under the age of 8, whereas another 20% are between the ages of 9 and 12.

“Due to Roblox’s lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana,” Murrill said in a statement. “Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety. Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home.”

According to the lawsuit, adults can pose as children on Roblox, and children can bypass age requirements to access experiences meant for older users.

The lawsuit points to several sexually explicit experiences that were on the platform, including “Escape to Epstein Island,” “Diddy Party,” and “Public Bathroom Simulator Vibe.”

A spokesperson for Roblox said that while the company can’t comment on pending litigation, the platform dedicates “substantial resources, including advanced technology and 24/7 human moderation, to help detect and prevent inappropriate content and behavior, including attempts to direct users off platform, where safety standards and moderation may be less stringent than ours.”

“While no system is perfect, Roblox has implemented rigorous technology and enforcement safeguards, including restrictions on sharing personal information, links, and user-to-user image sharing,” the spokesperson said. “The safety of our community is a top priority.”

Last year, Roblox launched a number of safety measures to protect children on its platform, including barring users under the age of 13 from sending direct messages. The measures were implemented following reports that Roblox was exposing young users to dangerous risks, such as grooming and explicit content.

Murrill’s lawsuit states that Roblox’s recent safety measures were implemented too late and are inadequate.

The lawsuit seeks permanent injunctive relief, prohibiting the company from claiming that it has adequate safety features and from engaging in any activity that would violate the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act.