The State of Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against Roblox Corporation, alleging it allowed child predators to “thrive” because the company “prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety.” This news comes as the company faces backlash for banning anti-predator content creators and even threatening to sue them.
Per a report by The Verge, Louisiana has sued Roblox for allowing child predators to “thrive” and perpetuating an environment where children are unsafe.
“[Roblox Corporation] has permitted and perpetuated an online environment in which child predators thrive, directly contributing to the widespread victimization of minor children in Louisiana,” the lawsuit alleges.
By failing to implement effective measures to combat child predation and exploitation, Roblox “has directly facilitated the widespread sexual exploitation of minors and inflicted severe, lasting harm upon the children of Louisiana,” per the lawsuit.
The Verge also reports that Louisiana’s attorney general, Liz Murrill, claimed Roblox prioritized “user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety,” which leads to “harmful content and child predators” overrunning the platform.
Just days before Louisiana filed this lawsuit, Roblox has been embroiled in another child exploitation controversy after banning YouTuber Schlep, whose content specifically deals with combattng such practices on the platform. Roblox not only banned the user but also sent them a cease-and-desist letter to immediately discontinue their Roblox-related content under threat of legal action if they fail to comply.
This sparked a fierce discussion regarding harmful content and child safety on Roblox, which attracts hundreds of millions of users worldwide. Though the company has claimed numerous times that it does all it can to combat such content, its recent moves indicate anything but, which could have led to Louisiana’s actions.
Roblox CEO, David Baszucki, also spoke on potential plans to introduce online dating to the platform (thanks Cosmopolitan), sparking further backlash among the community due to the game’s predominantly underage audience.
This is a developing story, and we’ll follow up with additional information as it becomes available.
