The initiative is designed to hold companies accountable for potential harm to local consumers, especially children.
SAN DIEGO — San Diego County has launched a new Consumer Fairness and Public Protection Division, filing its first three lawsuits aimed at protecting children’s safety. The announcement was made on Monday, with cases targeting companies Applovin, Roblox and Polymaker.
The initiative is designed to hold companies accountable for potential harm to local consumers, especially children. Terra Lawson-Remer, Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, emphasized the importance of these cases, stating they are focused on “cases involving the safety of our kids, their privacy, and the kind of world that they grow up in.”
One lawsuit focuses on Roblox, a popular gaming platform. The County alleges it falsely marketed itself as a safe space for children but allowed adults to contact minors. Tragically, in April 2024, a 15-year-old boy from San Diego took his own life after being groomed and extorted by an adult predator on the platform.
“A child here in our community who had been a victim of the sexual exploitation that happens on Roblox actually took his own life,” noted Alysson Snow, Assistant County Counsel.
Another lawsuit targets Polymaker, a manufacturer of 3D printing filament. The County alleges that Polymaker improperly marketed its products to individuals creating untraceable ghost guns. This claim follows an incident where San Diego Police discovered Polymaker filament in the 3D printing setup of a 16-year-old student who brought a loaded ghost gun to Garfield High School earlier this year.
The third case is against Applovin, with the county accusing the company of serving children advertisements for inappropriate products, including alcohol, vaping, cannabis and adult dating—even when parental controls were activated.
Lawson-Remer initially proposed the new division in her 2025 State of the County address. She highlighted the creation of the unit as a response to “gaps in federal consumer enforcement.” These lawsuits mark the first use of the county’s new consumer-protection powers.
San Diego County officials indicate these lawsuits are only the beginning, pledging further action to safeguard the community and especially its children.
————————————————
