As most people know, there is a well-liked game called Roblox. It has 90 million active daily users and 380 million active monthly users! If you are not familiar with this game, Roblox is an online platform and game creation system where users can make and play games created by others. It engages players in user-created content, cross-platform play, and social interactions. First released in 2006, the platform allows people to play with others all over the world.
Recently, Roblox has instituted new regulations and policies to maintain user safety on its platform, but hasn’t followed through with its own guidelines. Furthermore, they banned a content creator known as Schlep and also sent him a cease and desist letter, even though he has been reporting predators from the Roblox platform to both Roblox and proper authorities, getting some arrested. In short, Roblox is banning people who are trying to help Roblox be safer.
Due to social media, the news spread like wildfire. This led to Roblox posting a public response. Roblox responded by issuing a statement on their X (formerly Twitter) account stating they were updating their policies and regulations regarding vigilantism and other external parties that attempt to moderate their platform.
The public also had its very own response to this controversy. Multiple states and countries have already banned the Roblox platform. Several states, such as Louisiana, have even gone as far as to sue the platform for not upholding their own safety policies. Famous predator catcher Chris Hansen has started working on a documentary with Schlep to investigate the failure of Roblox to protect their users on the platform. Furthermore, several major content creators have left the Roblox Star Creator Program, as well as several game developers for the site. A petition calling for the removal of Roblox CEO David Baszucki has gained nearly 200,000 signatures at the time of this article being written.
Roblox has a much younger audience than most games. The platform mostly appeals to younger players, even though they have attempted to be an audience for users over 13, more specifically, 17-24 year olds. Because the target audience is so young, this controversy has become such a huge issue.
While talking to two female Titan Times staff writers, both reported several accounts of being asked for personal information, such as their address or social media. Furthermore, both reported experiencing sexual comments and harassment.
Now that you’ve learned about the controversy, if you were a parent, would you allow your kid to use Roblox?
