Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Roblox Corporation, alleging that the kids’ online gaming platform has “flagrantly ignored” state safety laws and misled parents about the risks children face on the site.
In an announcement on social media, Paxton described Roblox as a “breeding ground for predators,” accusing the company of placing “pixel pedophiles and corporate profit” above the safety of Texas children.
His office says the suit is part of an effort to hold technology companies accountable for failing to protect minors.
Roblox has tens of millions of daily active users and is widely used by children.
The game has faced growing scrutiny over reports of inappropriate content, online grooming, and predators infiltrating the platform.
A Roblox spokesperson said the company was “disappointed” by the lawsuit, asserting that Roblox shares Paxton’s commitment to child safety.
The spokesperson said the platform has taken steps to identify and remove bad actors, but argued that the claims in the lawsuit are “misrepresentations and sensationalized.”
Roblox markets itself as a family-friendly environment home to thousands of games, including educational titles focused on subjects like physics, coding, and problem-solving.
The company also provides developer tools that allow users to build their own games.
However, the feature has occasionally resulted in violent or sexual content slipping through moderation systems.
The platform’s social features have also drawn criticism.
Users can join servers and interact with strangers online, exposing younger players to potential abuse.
Parents have reported disturbing encounters, while child-safety advocates argue the company has not done enough to monitor interactions or prevent harmful content.
Paxton said Roblox must take stronger action to shield young users from “sick and twisted freaks hiding behind a screen,” adding that any corporation enabling child exploitation “will face the full force of the law.”
Texas is not alone, however.
In August, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a separate lawsuit alleging that Roblox created an environment where predators can “thrive, unite, hunt and victimize kids” because of inadequate safety systems.
Her suit claims Roblox has prioritized “user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety.”
“Due to Roblox’s lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana,” Murrill said.
“Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety.”
Roblox is also being sued in connection with the 2024 suicide of a 15-year-old boy whose parents allege he was groomed on the platform and persuaded to move conversations to Discord.
According to the lawsuit, the predator coerced the teenager into sending explicit images by threatening to release them.
The complaint states the teen “was permanently harmed by these experiences,” leading to his death in April 2024.
The lawsuit accuses Roblox and Discord of wrongful death, fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, and strict liability.
It argues that if both companies had implemented robust user screening, age verification, and other safety measures, the teen would never have encountered the predator.
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