Photo Credit: Roblox Corp.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism has opened a bipartisan investigation into Roblox over child safety concerns.
When it rains, it pours. Gaming platform Roblox is facing increased scrutiny over concerns regarding child safety as the U.S. Senate launched a bipartisan investigation into the platform on Friday.
Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced the investigation on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism with a letter sent to Roblox CEO David Baszucki.
“Roblox appears to prioritize revenue and engagement metrics over the safety and well-being of our children, and the alleged criminal activity on Roblox warrants congressional scrutiny,” the letter states, warning that the company is directed to preserve all records related to child exploitation and abuse.
Roblox is also required to answer a series of questions and produce certain documents as requested by the committee by August 31. These questions include information such as how much money Roblox makes off various age brackets, how many hours users of different ages spend on the platform, how many accounts over the last two years have been reported in conjunction with inappropriate behavior toward children, and what protective measures the company has in place.
While it’s the first time the U.S. government has stepped in, it’s far from the first time Roblox has faced scrutiny over its child safety practices. The company has been the subject of reports and accusations over the last several years regarding the platform’s use by child predators to groom and harm children. There have been other allegations unrelated to child sex crimes, including the financial exploitation of its users.
Roblox continues to assert that it has made numerous changes to its platform over the years to increase child safety through the use of parental controls, age locks, and other measures. However, the effectiveness of those methods remains questionable, especially given the congressional investigation.
“Roblox is built on the foundation of safety,” said Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman. “We do not compromise on that commitment. We look forward to sharing the facts about how we work to protect children on the platform.”
In 2024, Roblox averaged over 80 million daily players worldwide, with roughly 40% of those being children under 13.
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