Children’s advocacy groups ask FTC to investigate Roblox
Children’s advocacy groups Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging an investigation into Roblox, alleging its design features, virtual currency system, and chat functions pose risks to children’s safety. The complaint claims Roblox’s engagement-driven features and complex pricing obscure costs and expose young users to harm, while the company disputes the claims and highlights its existing safeguards and upcoming age-based account rollout.
Two child safety advocacy groups, Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on May 20, 2026, urging an investigation into Roblox. The complaint accuses the gaming platform of engaging in ‘unfair and deceptive’ practices under Section 5 of the FTC Act, citing its engagement-maximizing design, virtual currency system (Robux), and chat features as developmentally inappropriate for its young user base. The 86-page complaint argues Roblox’s layered virtual currency system obscures true costs, making it difficult for users to understand spending. It also criticizes the platform’s voice and text chat features, despite Roblox’s existing safeguards like age verification for chat access and parental controls. The platform has faced multiple lawsuits from state attorneys general over safety concerns, including exposure to abusive or sexual content, leading to recent policy changes. Roblox responded by stating it ‘strongly disputes’ the claims, emphasizing its safeguards and policies to maintain a safe environment. The company noted that only 1.4 percent of its 132 million daily active users make purchases and that it prohibits gambling mechanics and simulated gambling. Roblox also plans to introduce age-based accounts next month, restricting users to games approved for their age group. The FTC complaint highlights ongoing scrutiny of Roblox’s practices, including its age verification methods and content moderation. While the platform has settled with multiple states and implemented changes, the advocacy groups argue further action is needed to protect children from potential harm. The case underscores broader debates about child safety in digital spaces and the responsibilities of tech platforms.
This content was automatically generated and/or translated by AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original sources for verification.