Update: Roblox Corp responds to Florida State criminal investigation
Content warning for mentions of child abuse.
Update: Roblox Corp has issued a response to the criminal investigation, as well as the claims by attorney general Uthmeier.
"Attorney General Uthmeier's claims about Roblox are false, and the suggestion that illicit image sharing is happening on Roblox demonstrates a lack of understanding of our platform's functionality," a Roblox spokesperson said via email. "In fact, we prohibit the sharing of images and videos in chat, use filters designed to block the exchange of personal information, and our trained teams and automated tools continuously monitor communications to detect and remove harmful content."
The company added that it's working to implement age estimation for all users accessing chat features. The feature was announced back in July, and it's set to be released by the end of the year.
"We share the AG's commitment to keeping kids safe and we will continue to assist his office in their investigations. We have a strong record of working with law enforcement and investing in advanced safety systems to help protect our users and remove bad actors," the spokesperson concluded.
Original story: The State of Florida has launched a criminal investigation into Roblox, accusing the company of failing to protect children from inappropriate content and online predators.
Via WTOC by CNN Newsource staff, Florida attorney general James Uthmeier issued criminal subpoenas to Roblox this week. "Roblox profited off of our kids while exposing them to the most dangerous of harms," Uthmeier said in a briefing video. "They enabled our kids to be abused. Companies like Roblox have become breeding grounds for predators to get to, and have access to our kids."
The attorney general added that the criminal subpoenas will enable them to "gather more information for our prosecutors" about the "criminal activity" taking place on Roblox, as well as evidence on the "predators that are out there" and the victims.
"At the end of the day, we will stop at nothing to fight to protect our kids, and companies that act carelessly and expose them to harm will be held accountable," the briefing concludes.
Roblox Corp has previously responded to a lawsuit saying that 'no system is perfect'In August of this year, the State of Louisiana sued Roblox Corp for allegedly facilitating and distributing "child sexual abuse material" and enabling the "sexual exploitation" of minors in Louisiana.
The company was accused of failing to implement "basic safety controls to protect child users," as well as neglecting to inform users of the dangers they could encounter on the platform. It was also accused of repeatedly assuring parents that Roblox is a safe space for children despite failing to implement measures that can effectively protect children from "well-documented predatory threats."
"For years, Defendant has knowingly enabled and facilitated the systemic sexual exploitation and abuse of children across the United States, including in Louisiana," reads the suit. "Through willful disregard and deceptive practices, Defendant has permitted and perpetuated an online environment in which child predators thrive, directly contributing to the widespread victimization of minor children in Louisiana."In response to the lawsuit, Roblox Corp felt compelled to "address erroneous claims and misconceptions" about its platform. It started by dismissing the idea that it would intentionally endanger its community, while also acknowledging that "no system is perfect and bad actors adapt to evade detection, including efforts to take users to other platforms, where safety standards and moderation practices may differ."
"Roblox started as a platform for children, and while 64 percent of the user base is now 13 or over, the platform has rigorous safety features built in," read the response at the time. "This includes rigorous text chat filters that block inappropriate language and attempts to direct users under 13 off the platform or solicit personal information. Furthermore, users under 13 cannot directly message others outside of games or experiences unless parental controls are adjusted, and direct image sharing between users is prohibited."
Last year, Bloomberg published an extensive report that spotlighted an alleged "pedophile problem" after speaking with 20 former and current Roblox staffers.
Another report published by research firm Hindenburg claimed the company had been lying about player metrics while downplaying those purported child safety issues. More recently, Roblox was sued alongside Discord for allegedly enabling the sexual abuse of a minor.
Game Developer has contacted Roblox Corp for comment.
