In a news release, Griffin accused the companies of “deliberate deception and reckless product design that transformed the internet’s most popular children’s gaming site into one of the most dangerous places online.” Griffin said the companies knowingly ignored risks to children. “Both companies knew exactly what was happening on their platforms,” Griffin said in the statement. “Both companies chose profit over the safety of Arkansas children. Both companies told parents — repeatedly and falsely — that their platforms were safe. Roblox left the front door unlocked, and Discord handed predators a private room. Arkansas children paid the price. That stops now.”
According to the complaint, Roblox serves as the initial point of contact where predators identify and groom children, while Discord functions as the next stage, providing private communication channels where exploitation can escalate. Predators use Roblox’s gaming environment to build trust with young users before directing them to Discord’s direct messaging, voice and video chat features, where conversations can occur with limited parental oversight.
“Sexual predators no longer need candy or a van,” the complaint states. “Today, they have Roblox.” The lawsuit further alleges that once Roblox helps establish trust between a predator and a child, Discord provides “a secret private room without parents.”
Arkansas contends that both platforms marketed themselves as safe environments for children while failing to implement effective safeguards. The state alleges users can create accounts with little verification, making it easy for adults to pose as children and for banned users to quickly return under new accounts.
The lawsuit focuses heavily on Roblox, which reports approximately 144 million daily active users, about 40% of whom are under the age of 13. State officials allege that Roblox knowingly allowed sexually themed content and experiences to proliferate on a platform heavily used by children. The complaint cites examples of virtual strip clubs, simulations of sexual activity and games that allegedly trivialized rape while remaining accessible to young users. Arkansas argues these were not simply moderation failures but conscious product design decisions made by Roblox.
The state also claims Roblox ignored opportunities to strengthen safety protections. According to the lawsuit, company executives rejected certain safety measures because they could reduce user engagement. The complaint further alleges that Roblox delayed implementing age-verification technology despite having the capability to do so and continued to profit from transactions involving its virtual currency, Robux, which predators allegedly used to lure and manipulate victims.
Internal Documents and Safety Concerns
The complaint alleges Roblox publicly promoted itself as the “#1 safe gaming site for kids” while internally resisting measures that could have reduced user engagement.
Griffin’s office contends Roblox rejected employee proposals to warn children of grooming behavior because such warnings would reduce engagement metrics, suppressed safety costs as its revenue grew, and paid over $900 million annually to the developers who built the sexually explicit “experiences” that pervaded the platform.
A significant portion of the complaint centers on child sexual exploitation reports made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Arkansas notes that Roblox reported 675 suspected incidents in 2019, a figure that reportedly rose to more than 13,000 by 2023. State officials argue that the dramatic increase demonstrates that Roblox’s safety efforts failed to keep pace with growing risks on the platform.
The lawsuit similarly accuses Discord of creating an environment that facilitates exploitation. Discord, which has more than 200 million monthly active users and an average user age of about 16, allegedly enables predators to continue grooming children through private communications after initial contact occurs elsewhere. Arkansas claims Discord’s Family Center parental monitoring tools place control in the hands of children, who can choose whether parents have access and can revoke that access at any time. The complaint alleges this design effectively shields predator-child communications from parental scrutiny.
Arkansas further points to Discord’s transparency reports, alleging that child safety violations increased by 150% during a single quarter. The state argues that despite being aware of these risks, Discord continued expanding its youth user base while relying on public safety messaging rather than implementing stronger protections.
The complaint also highlights the integration between the two platforms. Arkansas alleges Roblox permits Discord usernames and server links to appear within its ecosystem, while Discord enables Roblox account linking. State officials argue that both companies have long understood how predators use the platforms together and nonetheless maintained features that facilitate movement between them.
Both companies have strongly denied the allegations.
A Roblox spokesperson said the lawsuit mischaracterizes the platform and overlooks extensive safety investments. The company emphasized recent measures requiring age verification for certain chat features and limiting communications based on age groups. Roblox stated it remains committed to providing a safe and age-appropriate environment and works closely with law enforcement when harmful activity is identified.
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Discord likewise rejected the lawsuit’s claims, arguing that it has invested heavily in safety technology, human-led investigations and parental tools. The company said its platform differs from traditional social media because it lacks algorithmic feeds and public engagement metrics that amplify content to large audiences. Discord stated it remains committed to working with policymakers to improve online safety.
Arkansas filed the lawsuit under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the state’s public nuisance law and common-law unjust enrichment theories. Arkansas seeks injunctive relief, monetary damages and the return of profits allegedly derived from Arkansas consumers. The lawsuit joins a growing wave of litigation targeting technology companies over claims that platform design decisions and inadequate safety measures have exposed children to online exploitation and abuse.
