A growing chorus of state attorneys general is taking aim at the popular online platform, alleging it has created a "digital playground" for predators and violated child protection laws.
AUSTIN, Texas – The popular online gaming platform Roblox, which boasts over 200 million monthly users and bills itself as a safe space for children, is facing yet another major legal challenge. This time, the lawsuit comes from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has launched a scathing legal and verbal assault against the company, accusing it of violating state and federal online safety laws and knowingly putting children at risk.
The lawsuit, filed on November 7, represents a significant escalation in the legal pressure on Roblox Corporation, which now faces over 31 active lawsuits from individuals and state officials. In a press release announcing the action, Paxton did not mince words, characterizing the platform as a “breeding ground for predators” and accusing the company of prioritizing “pixel pedophiles and corporate profit” over the safety of children in Texas.
A "Family-Friendly" Façade?
The core of the Texas lawsuit, and others like it, hinges on a stark contrast between Roblox's public image and the alleged reality on its platform.
Roblox has long marketed itself to parents as the “world’s safest and most family-friendly online gaming platform for kids.” Its colorful, blocky aesthetic and user-generated content model have made it a digital magnet for a young audience.
However, Attorney General Paxton’s suit paints a dramatically different picture. It alleges the platform is, in fact, a “sprawling and unregulated digital playground overrun by predators and saturated with sexual content.” The complaint details specific instances of what it calls "deceptive and unfair practices," including the presence of games featuring Nazi symbolism, Ku Klux Klan avatars, simulated nude parties, and experiences that portray sex trafficking.
Robux: The "Digital Candy" for Modern Predators
A key allegation repeated in the Texas suit, and one that has been highlighted by independent journalists and child safety advocates for years, involves the platform's in-game currency, Robux. The lawsuit posits that Robux is not just a monetization tool but a mechanism used by predators to groom and coerce children.
“Rather than being lured by candy, modern-day predators have lured children with Robux,” Paxton stated, drawing a powerful analogy to illustrate how financial incentives within the game can be weaponized.
This system, critics argue, allows bad actors to befriend children and offer them coveted virtual items or currency in exchange for inappropriate behavior or personal information, effectively blurring the lines of digital interaction and exploitation.
Roblox's Response and a National Trend
In response to the Texas lawsuit, a Roblox spokesperson issued a statement pushing back against the allegations, calling the suit “based on misrepresentations and sensationalized claims.”
“We share the Attorney General Paxton’s commitment to keeping kids and teens safe online, which is why we have implemented industry-leading protocols in an effort to protect users and remove bad actors,” the statement read. The company often points to its extensive moderation team, automated filtering chat technology, and parental control options as evidence of its commitment to safety.
Despite these assurances, the legal storm is intensifying. Paxton’s action marks the third lawsuit filed by a U.S. state against Roblox in 2025 alone.
- On October 7, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman sued the platform, similarly calling it “a playground where predators who seek to harm our children.”
- On August 14, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a separate suit, stating plainly, “It’s basically open season for sex predators on the platform.”
This coordinated legal action from multiple states suggests a shared belief that the platform’s current safety measures are fundamentally insufficient. As Paxton forcefully argued, “We cannot allow platforms like Roblox to continue operating as digital playgrounds for predators where the well-being of our kids is sacrificed on the altar of corporate greed... Any corporation that enables child abuse will face the full and unremitting force of the law.”
The outcome of these lawsuits could have profound implications not just for Roblox, but for the entire landscape of online platforms that host young users, potentially forcing a new era of regulation and accountability in the metaverse.
For parents concerned about online safety, resources like the Amazon Fire Kids Tablet, which comes with robust parental controls and a curated, child-friendly content ecosystem, offer one alternative for a more controlled digital experience.