Roblox and Discord, Bay Area chat and gaming companies, face a major lawsuit filed in late February. The suit alleged that negligent safety measures and systemic failures on both platforms enable sexual predators and pedophiles to prey on minors—grooming them for abuse.
The plaintiff, a 13-year old boy, who has wished to stay anonymous from the media, is at the center of this lawsuit. He had created accounts on both platforms back in 2023 with the permission from his father, though he had concerns about having his child on social media—the companies’ terms of service gave a sense of safety and reassurance.
This past year, the boy’s parents came across disturbing messages on their son’s phone from an adult male threatening him, as well as demanding nude photos and sexually explicit content. Law enforcement found that the plaintiff had sent images in exchange for Robux, Roblox’s in-game currency and made plans to meet up with the perpetrator.
Authorities identified the perpetrator as Sebastian Romero, a 27-year-old man from New Jersey. He was believed to be responsible for sexually exploiting over 20 other minors and was given multiple charges on sexual abuse and extorsion.
The plaintiff had shared personal information, including his home address, to Romero, and had moved across the country for he and his family’s own safety.
“Sexual predators are able to use Roblox to meet and groom children, then move to Discord, where they can chat via text, voice, and video messages,” said the plaintiff’s attorneys.
Alexandra Walsh, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, has been vocal regarding the lawsuit.
“There are thousands of kids who’ve already been hurt,” Walsh said in an interview with KQED. “Roblox and Discord know exactly what’s happening on their platforms. They have the resources to protect children, but they’re prioritizing financial gain over the safety of our kids.”
Cases like these call into question safety measures on platforms like Roblox and Discord, with a record of lawsuits alleging the abuse and exploitation of minors. Children who experience this on games like Roblox tend to suffer from psychological trauma, the lawsuit alleged.
Roblox had a spokesperson speak to KQED on their behalf, stating that they cannot speak on the ongoing litigation but “takes the safety of its community seriously” and has since introduced new safety measures. Discord has not commented on the situation.