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Concerns about Roblox and Discord are mounting. Critics say they haven’t done enough to prevent predators from contacting young users.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — Two Bay Area-based online platforms, Roblox and Discord, are facing scrutiny from law enforcement and legal experts who say predators are using the apps to groom and exploit children — with serious real-world consequences.
Recent cases in California highlight what officials call growing dangers in digital spaces.
In one case, a 10-year-old girl from Kern County was found 270 miles from home in Elk Grove after allegedly being abducted by a 27-year-old man she met on Roblox and Discord.
Matthew Naval was arrested this week in Elk Grove and is facing charges of kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
“Criminals no longer have to go into parks to snatch up our children. They’re on social media apps or gaming apps and they are communicating with children right under our noses and coercing them and blackmailing them,” said Lori Meza with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
This is not an isolated case. Sacramento County authorities recently found a 14-year-old girl who was missing for nearly a year in Houston.
According to investigators, she met 28-year-old Tarik Jammer online. He now faces charges related to sexual performance of a child.
“(They are) extremely manipulative. They know how to prey on the weaknesses of these kids, exploit those needs and wants and they manufacture this fantasy land they could be ‘escaping’ to,” said Sgt. Amar Gandhi with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office leads a specialized Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force that has received over 15,000 tips in 2025 alone.
“We’ve had (cases) here locally where children get sextorted to the point where they commit suicide,” said Lt. Juan Hidalgo, the task force commander.
Concerns about Roblox and Discord are mounting. Critics say they haven’t done enough to prevent predators from contacting young users.
Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, says pedophiles use messaging tools on Roblox to groom children.
“What we have seen happen is pedophiles use Roblox messaging to contact kids and over time groom them into providing salacious photos on other platforms. They fish in the Roblox waters and lure them in,” said Bergman.
Both Roblox and Discord have taken steps to strengthen safety. Roblox implemented stricter messaging restrictions for users under 13 and increased parental controls. But for some families, the changes came too late.
One Northern California family is suing both companies after their 14-year-old was allegedly coerced into sharing graphic images. The man involved reportedly has more than 20 minor victims.
Anne Marie Murphy, a partner at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, said both Roblox and Discord are pushing for the case to be handled in private arbitration.
“Discord and Roblox have asked the court to not hear the case and instead send the case to secret arbitration forum where the public will not get to know or watch what happens in the litigation,” said Murphy. “These cases need to be discussed as you’re doing. They need to see the light of day.”
Law enforcement officials say a dedicated point of contact within gaming and communication apps would improve their ability to investigate these crimes.
Roblox released the following statement:
“These allegations are deeply troubling, and we are actively investigating. We have a zero-tolerance policy against child endangerment, and a range of safety features to guard against predatory behavior. We also partner with law enforcement around the world, and are working tirelessly to enhance our safety systems, processes and policies.”
Discords released this statement:
“Discord has a zero-tolerance policy against abuse and exploitation. We take decisive actions when we detect violations of our policies, including removing content, banning users, shutting down servers, and engaging with law enforcement. As soon as we became aware of this matter, we provided information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). We will continue supporting law enforcement in its investigation.”
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: California officials reevaluating release of sexually violent predator William Stephenson
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