Two young girls from Dale County, Alabama, along with their families, have filed lawsuits against online gaming giant Roblox and messaging platform Discord. The suits allege that the girls were targeted and groomed by sexual predators met on these platforms, leading to exploitation.
Key Takeaways
- Two Alabama girls are suing Roblox and Discord, alleging sexual grooming by predators.
- The lawsuits claim Roblox’s safety measures were insufficient to protect minors.
- Roblox has announced new age estimation and communication safety features.
Allegations Against Roblox and Discord
The lawsuits detail harrowing experiences where young girls allegedly encountered individuals posing as minors on Roblox, who then manipulated them into sending sexually explicit images. One case involves a 14-year-old girl who, at age 11, met a user claiming to be 15 but who was allegedly an adult predator. The suit contends that Roblox’s age verification and safety protocols failed to prevent this grooming, even after the individual was arrested and warned against contact.
Plaintiff’s attorney Matthew Dolman emphasized the perceived parental expectation of safety on a platform marketed for children. "You would think as a parent with any common sense that a publicly traded corporation telling you that this platform is meant for children 6 and older, that this is going to be safe," Dolman stated. "What you don’t know is that adults are talking to children and there’s no moderation. There’s no one blowing the whistle. There’s no one keeping the adults segregated from the children."
A second lawsuit describes a 12-year-old girl who allegedly met multiple predators on Roblox. These individuals reportedly convinced her to share explicit images in exchange for Robux, the platform’s virtual currency.
Legal Demands and Roblox’s Response
Both lawsuits are seeking monetary damages and "nonmonetary injunctive relief," aiming to compel systemic changes within the online gaming industry. "We want to force systemic change and change the entire industry of online gaming," Dolman added. "They need to be reeled in, And there’s very little oversight, and Roblox has not been held accountable."
In response to growing concerns, Roblox has announced enhancements to its safety policies. These include an ambitious plan to expand age estimation for all users accessing on-platform communication features by the end of the year. This initiative will utilize a combination of facial age estimation technology, ID age verification, and verified parental consent to provide more accurate age assessments. Roblox also plans to implement new systems to limit communication between adults and minors who do not know each other in the real world, aiming to set a new industry standard for communication safety.
WBRC has reached out to both Roblox and Discord for comment and is awaiting a response from Discord. A spokesperson for Roblox provided a statement detailing their safety initiatives.
