Be Careful
In 2004, I bought ‘Halo 2’ for my Xbox. It was the first game I ever played against an opponent online. While commonplace today, the concept of playing a video game against someone on the other side of the planet was almost inconceivable.
As technology has advanced over the last 20 years, online gaming has only improved and expanded. Unfortunately, online predators have evolved as well.
Roblox is a user-generated online game platform and creation system where users can design their own games, explore a vast library of user-created content, and interact with others in a social environment. According to its website, “Roblox is the ultimate virtual universe that lets you create, share experiences with friends, and be anything you can imagine.”
Roblox is one of the most popular gaming platforms, boasting over 111 million monthly active users and more than 4.6 billion accounts have been created since it was launched in 2006. The California-based company reported over $1 billion in revenue in its latest quarter.
The platform has come under fire recently, though, with parents accusing the company of not doing enough to protect kids. Earlier this year, the family of a 13-year-old girl from West Des Moines, Iowa, sued Roblox, alleging that it failed to protect children from sexual predators online after their daughter was abducted and abused by an alleged sexual predator she met on their website.
“Had (Roblox) designed the app with even the most basic screening or age and identity verification, as well as effective parental controls, (the 13-year-old) never would have interacted with this predator and never would have suffered the harm that she did,” the complaint alleges. “In short, (the 13-year-old’s) life has been devastated as a direct result of Defendant’s conduct.”
An October 2024 report by the investment firm Hindenburg Research described the service as an “X-rated pedophile hellscape” and said researchers found multiple groups on the service openly trading child pornography. News media investigations have found numerous other cases of children being groomed, solicited and abused by people they met on Roblox. The company is facing numerous lawsuits from hundreds of users claiming to have been harmed due to lapses in child safety on its platform.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill also sued Roblox, alleging the site has failed to implement effective safety measures to protect child users from predators, which has perpetuated an environment where sex offenders “thrive, unite, hunt and victimize kids.”
“Due to Roblox’s lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana,” Murrill said in a news release. “Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety.” Murrill believes Roblox should be shut down.
Roblox’s website states it has “a zero-tolerance policy for the exploitation of minors,” and doesn’t allow children under 13 to chat with other users outside of games unless they have explicit parental permission. They also forbid users from sharing videos or images in chats and tries to block any personal information, such as phone numbers.
Murrill argues, however, that as with other gaming platforms and social media sites with similar policies, people find ways around such safeguards. Further, she points out that there is no age minimum or substantial age verification process once a user signs up. As a result, young children, teens, and adults posing as children can sign up.
So, if you have a child on Roblox or other similar gaming site, please, please monitor it to ensure they aren’t talking with anyone they shouldn’t be.
Reg P. Wydeven
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