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A North Carolina family sues Roblox, alleging the platform enabled the sexual exploitation of their daughter.
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — A North Carolina family filed a civil lawsuit against the Roblox Corporation, alleging the gaming platform facilitated the sexual exploitation of their 10-year-old daughter and failed to implement adequate safety measures to protect children.
The complaint, filed in Guilford County Superior Court on Thursday, claims a predator used Roblox, the online game platform, to groom the minor and coerced her into sending explicit images in exchange for Robux, the platform’s virtual currency.
Jane Doe, filing on behalf of her underage daughter, alleges Roblox misrepresented itself as a safe platform for children while knowingly allowing predators to operate freely on the service.
According to the lawsuit, the child began using Roblox at age 6. At age 10, she was contacted by a predator posing as a peer who gained her trust through the platform before moving their communication to text messages. The exploitation allegedly caused the child to suffer severe emotional trauma, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm.
The lawsuit alleges Roblox failed to verify user ages, screen users, or enforce meaningful parental controls. It also claims the company hosts sexually explicit content, including what the lawsuit calls “condo games” and simulations of sexual activity.
“We intend to hold the corporation accountable for enabling the sexual exploitation of children and misleading parents into believing the app was safe,” the Dolman Law Group, who is representing the family, said in a statement.
The lawsuit cites internal documents and quotes suggesting Roblox prioritized user growth and investor satisfaction over child safety. It also references numerous documented cases of child exploitation linked to the platform, including incidents involving kidnapping, trafficking, and abuse.
The complaint includes charges of fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, general negligence, design defects and failure to warn users of risks. Each count seeks compensatory and punitive damages, with the total damages sought exceeding $25,000.
Dolman Law Group described the case as “the first of potentially many lawsuits against Roblox” filed in North Carolina.
The lawsuit does not name the alleged predator or state whether they are facing any criminal charges.
Roblox launched in 2006 and has more than 300 million monthly users, with a significant portion being children and teenagers.
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