A Las Vegas family has filed a lawsuit against Roblox Corp., alleging the popular gaming platform failed to protect their 11-year-old daughter from an alleged online predator who reportedly contacted her through a game and later groomed her through off-platform communications.
The lawsuit claims Roblox’s safety measures were inadequate and allowed the adult man to pose as a teenager before escalating contact with the child.
Roblox Child Safety Lawsuit Alleges Platform Failed to Protect Child
According to the complaint, the alleged predator first met the girl while playing “Chained Together,” a game available through Roblox. The lawsuit states that the man posed as a teenage boy and used the platform’s communication features to gain the child’s trust.
The family alleges that the man eventually obtained the girl’s phone number and encouraged her to continue conversations through text messages and other messaging applications. The complaint claims the communication became increasingly inappropriate as the alleged predator continued what attorneys describe as a grooming process.
According to court filings, the interactions later escalated into what the family describes as sexual exploitation. The lawsuit alleges the man sent sexually explicit images of himself and pressured the child to send explicit content in return.
The family argues that Roblox failed to provide adequate safeguards that could have prevented the contact. Christian Morris, an attorney for the family, claimed stronger age-verification systems and identity checks may have stopped the alleged predator from reaching the child.
Vegas Parents Claim Roblox Safety Features Were Insufficient
The lawsuit further alleges that Roblox marketed itself as a safe environment for children while failing to fully disclose the risks young users may encounter on the platform. “Never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined that by playing a game, Chained Together, it would end up with these sexually explicit texts…” Morris shared in a statement to KTNV.
According to the complaint, the family believes Roblox’s recommendation systems, messaging tools, and user interaction features contributed to the alleged abuse. The lawsuit states that the girl’s mother would not have allowed her daughter to use the platform had she known the extent of the alleged risks. The family contends that Roblox did not provide sufficient warnings regarding the potential dangers associated with online interactions.
In the complaint, the family’s attorney argues that basic safety measures could have reduced the likelihood of contact between the child and the alleged predator. The lawsuit seeks damages and aims to hold the company accountable for what the family describes as failures in platform safety.
Concerns for Safety of Young Gamers
Roblox has faced scrutiny in recent years regarding online safety concerns. The company has publicly stated that it continues to invest in moderation systems, parental controls, and technology intended to improve user protection.
The case has renewed attention on online safety issues involving children who use multiplayer gaming platforms and social gaming communities. Meanwhile, Roblox has doubled down on its policies against criminal activities on the platform following the lawsuit.
“Criminal behavior has no place on Roblox. Roblox has built a multilayered safety system that includes pioneering safeguards to help protect our users,” a representative wrote in a statement to KTNV. In retrospect, this is one of several lawsuits the platform has faced over the years, including legal issues from its own shareholders.
