Florida Prosecutors Issue Criminal Subpoenas to Roblox Over Child Safety Concerns
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued criminal subpoenas to Roblox, accusing the popular virtual platform of neglecting child safety while generating substantial profits. The attorney general’s office claims that Roblox has created an environment conducive to predatory behavior, citing its failure to adequately protect minors. The subpoena request is part of a broader investigation into the platform’s alleged criminal negligence in safeguarding users.
In response to these allegations, Roblox has announced additional safety measures aimed at protecting younger users. These include stricter messaging rules for children under 13, intensive content moderation, and AI-powered monitoring systems designed to detect and remove harmful content. The company has also emphasized that it prohibits the sharing of images and videos in chat, utilizes filters to block the exchange of personal information, and is working on implementing age estimation for all users accessing chat features.
Roblox, which has a significant user base of minors, has faced scrutiny for its ability to maintain a safe environment for young users. While the company maintains that its systems and trained teams continuously monitor communications to detect and remove harmful content, the legal action by Florida underscores the growing concerns over online safety and the potential legal responsibilities of such platforms.
The subpoena process will allow prosecutors to gather more information on the alleged criminal activity on the platform, including evidence related to suspected predators and victims. This development has reignited discussions about the balance between innovation in digital platforms and the need for robust child protection measures.