A California judge just dealt Roblox a major legal blow, ruling that a father’s lawsuit accusing the platform of enabling child exploitation will move forward in open court.
The case began after a father named Steve said his 13-year-old son was targeted on Roblox in 2023. What started as a simple game turned dark when a predator contacted the boy on the platform, then shifted the conversation to Discord, offering Robux gift cards for explicit content.
“He had our home address, what school he went to, his phone number, everything,” Steve said. Police later confirmed the suspect was already facing charges in another child exploitation case involving over two dozen victims.
Steve is now suing Roblox and Discord, claiming both companies misled parents about safety features.
“I did my best to enable every parental control I could find… and it still happened,” Steve told ABC News.
Roblox tried to force the case into private arbitration, but Judge Nina Shapirshteyn rejected that move. Steve’s lawyer called the company’s attempt “a motion to silence this family.”
“We are deeply troubled by any allegations about harms to children online,” Roblox told ABC News, adding that it plans to appeal.
But for Steve, the judge’s decision brought relief.
“Everyone deserves a day in court, but Roblox and these companies don’t want that to happen.”
Roblox is currently facing over 35 lawsuits, many of which are centered on child exploitation.
