'Pedophile hellscape': Roblox sued after minor gets groomed on platform
What's the story
A North Carolina mother has filed a lawsuit against gaming giant Roblox, alleging that the company allowed a predator to exploit her young daughter on its platform. The suit, filed in North Carolina state court, claims Roblox knowingly created a "pedophile hellscape" despite publicly assuring parents that its platform is safe for kids.
Exploitation details
Predator allegedly used Roblox's virtual currency to exploit minor
The lawsuit alleges that Jane Doe N.L., a minor, was groomed by a predator posing as another child on Roblox. The complaint claims the predator coerced her into sending explicit images of herself. He allegedly offered Jane Doe Robux in exchange for these pictures, using Roblox's own virtual currency as a reward for compliance with his demands.
Company statement
Roblox responds to lawsuit, emphasizes safety as top priority
Responding to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Roblox said they are "deeply troubled by any incident that endangers our users" and emphasized safety as a top priority. The platform's business model revolves around selling Robux, which children use to customize avatars and buy game content. The lawsuit states many kids become "obsessed" with getting this virtual currency, often telling strangers they'd do "anything for Robux."
Grooming escalation
Lawsuit claims predator built trust before escalating tactics
The plaintiff, a long-time Roblox user, was an easy target for predators as she used the app for entertainment and social interaction. The predator built trust by pretending to be a child and then escalated his grooming tactics, successfully moving their conversations from Roblox to text messaging where the exploitation took place. The lawsuit alleges that proper age verification and effective parental controls could have prevented this abuse.
Emotional distress
Young victim suffers from 'significant emotional distress'
The young victim now suffers from "significant emotional distress, psychological trauma, and mental anguish," with injuries described as "severe, ongoing, and permanent." Launched in 2006, Roblox has become hugely popular among children. By September 2020, around 30 million people were using it daily with over half under age 13. Despite marketing itself as the "#1 gaming site for kids and teens," Roblox is accused of prioritizing user growth over child safety in this lawsuit.
Employee testimony
Former employee accused company of prioritizing user growth over safety
A former Roblox employee revealed the company chose between keeping players safe or letting them do what they want for more users on the platform. In response to the lawsuit, a Roblox spokesperson said they have implemented strict safeguards against sharing personal information, links, and images between users as well as sexual conversations. They also work with law enforcement and leading child safety organizations globally to combat child sexual exploitation.
Safety contradiction
'Stand against systemic failures'
Despite publicly assuring parents about the platform's safety, the lawsuit highlights a stark contradiction. In 2019, Roblox VP Tami Bhaumik admitted during a panel discussion that "digital civility did not exist at Roblox a year and a half ago." The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and demands a jury trial, arguing this case is "a stand against Defendant's systemic failures to protect society's most vulnerable from unthinkable harm in pursuit of financial gain over child safety."