Florida sues Roblox, alleging failures to protect children from predators

Florida has filed a civil lawsuit against Roblox Corporation, accusing the online gaming platform of failing to protect children from sexual predators despite aggressively marketing its services to minors, according to state officials.

The lawsuit was announced on Thursday by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who said the action follows an ongoing criminal investigation into the platform. The complaint was filed in state court and outlines a series of allegations regarding Roblox’s oversight of user interactions.

Roblox is widely used by young children and teenagers, and the state alleges the company violated the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by representing its platform as safe while failing to implement sufficient protections, according to the filing.

The complaint asserts that the company’s design, moderation practices, and communication tools created conditions that allowed predators to contact and groom minors.

“We reviewed the information demanded in our subpoena and what we found is unacceptable,’ Uthmeier said. “Roblox aggressively markets to young children but fails to protect them from sexual predators.”

According to the complaint, state investigators reviewed internal materials, user safety reports, and data obtained through a subpoena.

The filing alleges that Roblox misrepresented its safety features and failed to adequately disclose risks associated with in-game communication, user-generated content, and third-party interactions. It also cites cases in which adults contacted, exploited, or attempted to exploit minors on the platform.

Other states have recently taken legal action of their own concerning Roblox’s safety practices, including Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky.

The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, civil penalties, and changes to how Roblox operates in Florida, including enhanced safety measures, increased transparency, and stricter controls on communication tools.

The complaint does not specify a monetary amount but states that each violation of state law is subject to civil penalties.