TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Attorney General James Usmeyer on Monday issued a subpoena to the popular online gaming platform Roblox, demanding information about how the platform sets age verification requirements, moderates chat rooms, and markets itself to children.
The subpoena also requires Roblox to turn over documents related to its collection and processing of children’s data.
In a release, the Attorney General’s Office said numerous reports have been filed of children being exposed to graphic and harmful material on gaming platforms due to the ability of predatory adults to freely send messages to minors on apps.
In 2024, Roblox will boast more than 85 million daily active users, 40% of whom are estimated to be under the age of 13. The system features millions of games and an interactive environment with content developed by both the platform and users.
In his subpoena, Mr. Usmayer requests Roblox release information, including but not limited to:
Documentation that satisfies the length of time spent on the Platform, broken down by age for users under 16 years of age Examples of marketing materials related to the suitability of the Platform for children Documentation regarding the marketing of the Platform to young customers or its youngest demographic, including the use of promotions and giveaways, and the use of images from social media influencers and celebrities, social networks and cartoons Documentation reflecting the steps Roblox is taking to ensure that children using the Platform are not exposed to adult content Communication from the State of Florida Users of Roblox Report abuse to chat rooms on the platform Documentation regarding criminal prosecution arising or alleged to arise from contact between users and children
To view a copy of the full text of the subpoena, go here.
Roblox released the following statement in response to the Attorney General’s claims:
“Attorney General Usmail’s claims about Roblox are false and any suggestion that illegal image sharing is occurring on Roblox shows a lack of understanding of how our platform functions. In fact, we prohibit the sharing of images and videos in chat, we use filters designed to block the exchange of personal information, and our trained teams and automated tools continuously monitor communications to detect and remove harmful content.”
We are also working on implementing age estimation for all users accessing the chat feature. We share the AG’s commitment to keeping children safe and will continue to support his office’s investigations. We have a strong track record of working with law enforcement and investing in advanced safety systems to protect our users and exclude malicious actors. ”
