Roblox sued by LA County over allegations of failing to protect children

Roblox sued over safety concerns

Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging the game exposed children to sexual content, exploitation and online predators.

LOS ANGELES - Roblox, an online gaming platform, is being sued, accused of failing to protect children from exploitation and predatory behavior.

What we know:

On Thursday, Los Angeles County announced the lawsuit, accusing the gaming platform of endangering and exploiting children and failing to protect them from predatory conduct.

The lawsuit alleges that "children in Los Angeles County have been repeatedly exposed to sexually explicit content, exploitation and grooming on Roblox because the company chooses to put corporate profit over the safety of children."

It also accuses the platform of failing to implement effective moderation systems to keep children safe.

What they're saying:

The lawsuit was filed by County Counsel Dawyn R. Harrison on behalf of the People of the State of California.

"This is not about a minor lapse in safety. It is about a company that gives pedophiles powerful tools to prey on innocent and unsuspecting children," Harrison said. "The trauma that results is horrific, from grooming, to exploitation, to actual assault. This needs to stop."

"This lawsuit is about protecting children from online predators and inappropriate content," Los Angeles County Board Chair and 1st District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said in a statement. "Roblox has a responsibility to keep kids safe, but instead it has allowed its platform to become a place where children can be exposed to grooming and exploitation. Los Angeles County is taking action to hold the company accountable and demand real safeguards."

"This lawsuit highlights the alarming reality of what happens when Big Tech puts profits over our children’s safety," said Rafael Carbajal, director of the county’s Department of Consumer and Business Affairs. "Roblox has long been aware that predators use its product to target and exploit children, yet it has failed to take the actions necessary to prevent this horrific practice. Children are paying the price."

Clayton Cranford, a former law enforcement officer and founder of Cyber Safety Cop, says the risk in these kinds of platforms is not knowing who your child may be talking to.

"I would ask some basic questions. Can my child communicate with strangers, how does that work? Are there parental controls that allow me to limit or eliminate their ability to communicate with strangers?"

Cranford says parents should be proactive when it comes to monitoring their children's online habits.

"I would not wait for the government to protect your child. Parents have to take a front seat in control of their child's digital world."

Roblox responds 

The other side:

Roblox released a statement regarding the lawsuit.

"We strongly dispute the claims in this lawsuit and will defend against it vigorously. Roblox is built with safety at its core, and we continue to evolve and strengthen our protections every day. We have advanced safeguards that monitor our platform for harmful content and communications, and users cannot send or receive images via chat, avoiding one of the most prevalent opportunities for misuse seen elsewhere online. Safety is a constant and consistent focus of our work. We take swift action against anyone found to violate our safety rules and work closely with law enforcement to support investigations and help hold bad actors accountable.

There is no finish line when it comes to protecting kids, and while no system can be perfect, our commitment to safety never ends. Parents can visit our Safety Center to learn more about our safety work and ways to keep their children safe online: roblox.com/safetycenter, including talking with their children about internet risks."

By the numbers:

Roblox has reported about 151 million daily active users, and more than 40% are under age 13.