Roblox responds to class-action lawsuit as parents claim game is “grooming” children

The Roblox Corporation has responded to a class-action lawsuit from parents claiming the game is “grooming” their children and spreading sexual content. 

The Roblox Corporation has been named in a civil action lawsuit filed by parents, alleging the company has misrepresented their game as safe and appropriate for their children. 

Accusing the Roblox developers of negligent misrepresentation and false advertising, the lawsuit alleges the game is showing children inappropriate content due to its inadequate filtering and moderation, leading children to be shown explicit content and be able to engage in inappropriate encounters. 

The lawsuit additionally alleges that Roblox’s deceptive marketing has misled parents into spending money on the platform, with parents in the lawsuit spending thousands of dollars on the game. 

In a statement made to PC Gamer on the lawsuit, Roblox said, “We dispute the allegations and will respond in court. Roblox is committed to providing a positive and safe experience for people of all ages.

“We have an expert team of thousands of people dedicated to moderation and safety on Roblox 24/7, and we act swiftly to block inappropriate content or behavior when detected, including sexual content which violates our Community Standards.”

Roblox named in lawsuit alleging sexual content was shown to minors

The lawsuit claims children have encountered “nude avatars, avatars engaging in intercourse, and use of sex toys, as well as virtual strip clubs”.

One of the lawsuit’s plaintiffs, a parent, said she discovered that her then seven-year-old son had been receiving sexual messages in the game’s messaging service, “multiple users sent her child abusive and profane messages directly through the Roblox messaging service.”

The lawsuit goes into detail, “One user asked her son to perform virtual [acts] on his avatar in the game. Another user asked her son to show them his genitals, and yet another called him a malicious racial slur.” 

Another plaintiff in the suit, Damon Uhl, told CBS News that his daughter was “manipulated and groomed” by an adult who has made contact through Roblox, which eventually turned into contact outside of the game.

“There’s a misperception that Roblox is safe,” said Alexandra Walsh, Founder of Walsh Law, the firm that is representing the parent in the lawsuit. “Parents who would never let their kids use TikTok don’t think twice about letting them on Roblox, even though what they encounter on Roblox can be far more harmful.”

This lawsuit is not the only suit the Roblox Corporation is currently facing. In August, Roblox was named in a lawsuit alleging children were exposed to “illegal gambling” due to Roblox’s in-game currency’s propensity for being used in illegal gambling sites using Robux.