The attorney general for the state of Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against online gaming platform Roblox Corporation (RBLX), alleging that the company has failed to implement safety controls to “protect child users from predators.”
The gaming platform has become wildly popular with children, driven by the smash hit video game Grow a Garden. On a recent Saturday, the game had 16.4 million active players, more than Fortnite ever experienced at its peak.
Janzen Madsen, who runs Splitting Point Studios, which acquired Grow a Garden in April, told The New York Times that about 35% of its player base is under the age of 13.
But Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill accuses Roblox in the complaint of facilitating “the distribution of child sexual abuse material and the sexual exploitation of Louisiana’s children” due to the lack of safety controls on the platform.
The complaint notes that there is no age minimum nor requirement to verify age or have parental permission once a user signs up on the platform, which means “users can easily say they are younger or older than their actual age.”
This can allow “child predators to pose as children and for children to bypass any age requirement.”
The company’s stock plunged 6.3% on news of the lawsuit.
"Escape to Epstein Island"?
Roblox is an online gaming platform that allows anyone to create a game which is then playable by everyone else on the platform. It contains about 40 million user-generated games and “experiences” on its platform.
Unlike gaming consoles like PlayStation or Xbox or the Nintendo Switch, Roblox doesn’t produce its own games for the platform.
And Murrill’s lawsuit doesn’t specifically name Grow a Garden as being a game where children have been exposed to illicit material, but the complaint does mention other adult-oriented titles found on the platform, such as Escape to Epstein Island, Diddy Party, and Public Bathroom Simulator Vibe.
“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.”
A spokesperson for Roblox told TechCrunch that the company couldn’t comment specifically on pending legislation.
But thet said the company dedicates “substantial resources, including advanced technology and 24/7 human moderation, to help detect and prevent inappropriate content and behavior,” which includes trying to block any attempts to lure users off the platform.
Roblox has recently implemented safety measures, including banning users under 13 from sending direct messages.
These measures were actually taken after reports surfaced that the platform had become targeted by predators because of its massive popularity with children.
“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 added. “The safety of our community is a top priority.”
Ark Invest founder Cathie Wood has invested nearly $850 million in Roblox stock, with the shares accounting for about 5.31% of the firm’s flagship Ark Innovation ETF.
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