The popular online gaming platform Roblox is being sued for claims of sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Now, a Lonoke County family has joined the lawsuit, claiming their 14-year-old son was groomed sexually on the platform.
Channel 7 News spoke with attorney Sara Beller of the Dolman Law Group, who is representing the Lonoke County family and is leading the way in the lawsuit. Beller says that this gaming platform is a breeding ground for predators.
“Roblox certainly isn’t telling them or anyone about the very real dangers that exist on its platform.”
According to the law group, the teen, who remains anonymous, began using Roblox back in 2022, when he was just 11 years old. While using the platform, the teen became acquainted with someone that the law group describes as a dangerous sexual predator who was posing as a friend, gaining the teen’s trust.
That alleged predator then convinced the teen to move their conversation to another platform, Snapchat. From there, the teen was manipulated into sending sexually explicit pictures of himself to the alleged predator.
According to Beller, the alleged predator has never been identified.
Beller says the teen is suffering from this abuse, three years later.
“He’s been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, he continues to struggle with what happened as a result.”
This horrible situation affects more than just the victim, says Beller.
“These kinds of situations really affect the whole family.”
“Roblox provides a really powerful tool to these predators and these pedophiles by allowing them to come on to the platform and pretend to be little kids. They’re cloaked, if you will,” she adds.
Now, the family is demanding major changes be made.
“What we’re all hoping for is for systemic changes on Roblox, trying to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone in the future,” says Beller.
“On a personal level, I think it should shut down. I think it’s just not a safe place for kids to be, certainly not to the level that they’re advertising it to be,” she states.
Beller urges parents to have conversations with their children and to educate them about the dangers of being online.
Allegations like those brought by the Lonoke County family will be consolidated and presented to a federal court in Northern California, which is where Roblox is headquartered.
