The company behind the video game Robolox is facing lawsuits alleging they don’t do enough to protect young users on their platforms.
According to ExpertBeacon, more than half of players of the game are under the age of 17, and that demographic has been a driving force behind suits from more than 400 individuals alleging the company is too lax in its safety policies for young users.
Roblox has grown to be the most popular online game with 380 million monthly users, and an estimated 76 million users play every day.
One suit, filed in Polk County, Iowa by a Chicago firm alleges the company “provides a hunting ground for child-sex predators.
“It’s a horrendous case,” said Martin Gould, one of the lead attorneys.
He says his 13-year-old client was the victim of a 37-year-old “super predator” who groomed her online before kidnapping her. The man now faces four counts of aggravated statutory rape in Tennessee and is awaiting further charges in Iowa.
Gould’s firm, Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, said it already has 400 clients with similar stories.
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In a statement, Roblox said its policy is “not to comment on pending litigation.” But a spokesperson said “the company is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of our community, with tens of millions having positive experiences every day.“
“Protecting children,” the statement said, “is a top priority, and we invest significant resources in advanced safety technology.”
In recent months, Roblox has stepped up its security features rolling out improved age verification which includes users consenting to a face scan.
Experts say parents can protect their children in games like Roblox by linking their child’s account to their own; then use the updated online safety center to block specific friends and experiences.
Parents can also view the time their kids spend in those experiences.
Finally, attorney Steven Vanderporten said the simplest way to protect children is to disable their access to the game’s chat feature.
“You wouldn’t let your young child chat with a stranger at the park. You shouldn’t let them chat with a stranger on Roblox either,” he said.
