**Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Files Lawsuit Against Roblox Over Child Safety Concerns**
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, accusing the popular online game platform of ignoring state and federal safety laws. In his announcement on X, Paxton stated that children have been “repeatedly exposed to sexually explicit content, exploitation and grooming” on Roblox because the company chose to prioritize “pixel pedophiles and corporate profit” over the safety of children.
In response to Paxton’s announcement, a notable comment came from Schlep, a popular Roblox user known for staging sting operations similar to the TV show *To Catch a Predator*. His efforts led to multiple arrests on the platform. However, Schlep was controversially banned from Roblox in August for violating the company’s new rule prohibiting “vigilante behavior.” In the comments of Paxton’s announcement, Schlep simply posted, “Thank you.”
Roblox issued a statement expressing their commitment to child safety:
“We share Attorney General Paxton’s commitment to keeping kids and teens safe online. We are disappointed that, rather than working collaboratively with Roblox on this industry-wide challenge and seeking real solutions, the AG has chosen to file a lawsuit based on misrepresentations and sensationalized claims.”
Over the past few years, Roblox has implemented several measures aimed at protecting children on the platform. These include blocking users under 13 from playing, searching for, or discovering any unrated experiences. Additionally, direct messaging (DM) capabilities have been restricted for that age group.
Roblox has also introduced an age estimation feature that requires users to submit a video selfie as proof that they are 13 or older. The company plans to roll out this feature to all users by the end of the year.
Texas is not the only state to take legal action against Roblox. Kentucky and Louisiana have also filed lawsuits, accusing the platform of failing to protect children from predators.
Louisiana’s lawsuit highlights troubling user-created experiences on Roblox with inappropriate themes, such as “Escape to Epstein Island” and “Diddy Party,” despite most users being under 16 years old. The state also pointed out that, until November 2024, it was possible to initiate voice chats within Roblox experiences even between users who were not friends.
In one notable case, a man arrested for possession of child sexual abuse materials was found to have used voice-altering software on Roblox to impersonate a young girl and exploit children on the platform.
The unfolding legal battles emphasize the ongoing challenges faced by online platforms in balancing user engagement with the crucial issue of child safety.
https://www.engadget.com/texas-ag-ken-paxton-sues-roblox-over-alleged-child-safety-lapses-131500288.html?src=rss