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Child-Safety Groups Urge FTC Probe of Roblox Over Alleged Design and Chat Risks

The filing highlights rising pressure on how game platforms treat young users.

A view of signage at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Child advocacy groups are urging the FTC to investigate Roblox for its alleged manipulative designs.
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Two online safety groups say Roblox is violating federal law, Image 2 shows Fairplay said its test accounts were exposed to vulgar and sexually explicit chats, Image 3 shows Safety groups say Roblox uses gambling-like features to get kids to spend their parents' money

Overview

  • Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, which filed an 87-page request with the FTC on Wednesday, allege Roblox misleads families and uses unfair tactics on kids.
  • The groups say voice and text chat let adults reach minors, with tests reporting that under‑13 accounts could enter dating or open chat spaces and connect with strangers because some safeguards do not cover third‑party tools.
  • They also argue Roblox nudges children to spend through its Robux currency, loot boxes, wheel spins, and time-limited items, which can lead to unexpected charges for parents.
  • Roblox says it strongly disputes the claims, cites required age checks for chat and limits that keep minors talking with peers, and points to age-tiered accounts set to launch in June plus expanded parental controls.
  • The FTC has not announced an investigation, while more than 140 federal lawsuits accuse Roblox of enabling child sexual exploitation, a legal push that could set new guardrails for user-made game platforms.