Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has announced that his office has sued Roblox Corporation, alleging that the online gaming giant has “flagrantly ignored” safety laws and “deceived parents” about the potential dangers the platform poses to children. In a social media post, Paxton described Roblox as a “breeding ground for predators,” accusing the company of putting “pixel pedophiles and corporate profit” above the safety of Texas children.
The lawsuit against Roblox adds to the growing list of legal challenges the company faces related to online safety and internet predators. With tens of millions of daily active users, many of whom are children, Roblox has come under increasing scrutiny for its handling of user safety.
In response to the lawsuit, a Roblox spokesperson expressed disappointment, stating that the company shares Paxton’s commitment to keeping children safe online and has implemented measures to remove bad actors and protect its users. However, the spokesperson described the claims made in the lawsuit as “misrepresentations and sensationalized.”
Roblox, which is particularly popular among children, operates a massive online platform where users can play games solo or with friends. The platform has been marketed to families, offering a variety of educational games that teach subjects such as coding, physics, and problem-solving. Additionally, Roblox provides developer tools that allow users to create their own games, a feature that has occasionally resulted in the surfacing of violent and sexual content on the platform.
Another aspect of Roblox that has drawn criticism is the ability for users to enter servers and interact with strangers online, potentially exposing young players to dangerous individuals. Parents and children have raised concerns about encountering distressing content or experiencing abuse on the platform.
Attorney General Paxton called on Roblox to take stronger measures to protect children from “sick and twisted freaks hiding behind a screen,” emphasizing that any corporation that enables child abuse will face the full force of the law.
Breitbart News reported in August that Louisiana AG Liz Murrill filed a lawsuit against Roblox for failing to protect children:
In a scathing lawsuit filed on Thursday, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill alleged that Roblox has created an environment where sexual predators can “thrive, unite, hunt and victimize kids” due to the platform’s lack of effective safety protocols. The suit, filed in state court, claims that Roblox prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over the safety of its child users.
Murrill stated, “Due to Roblox’s lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana. Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety.”
In September, the parents of a 15-year-old boy that tragically took his own life filed a lawsuit against Roblox and Discord, claiming the companies contributing to his grooming by a predator:
The lawsuit claims that the conversation between Ethan and the predator gradually escalated to sexual topics and explicit exchanges. The man then encouraged Ethan to turn off parental controls and move their conversations to Discord, where he increasingly demanded explicit photographs and videos, threatening to share the images if Ethan did not comply. The complaint states that Ethan complied out of fear and was permanently harmed by these experiences, ultimately leading to his suicide at the age of 15 in April 2024.
The lawsuit accuses Roblox and Discord of wrongful death, fraudulent concealment and misrepresentations, negligent misrepresentation, and strict liability. It argues that if the companies had taken steps to screen users, implement age and identity verification, and other safety measures, Ethan would have never interacted with the predator and suffered the harm that led to his death.
Breitbart News will continue to report on Roblox, online predators, and the danger of grooming.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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