They say that there are “two sides to every coin,” and that’s true in both the literal and metaphorical sense. Two things can be true at the same time, even if people don’t like to “look at things that way,” especially if it puts them in a negative light. In the case of Roblox, the dev team happily boasts that it has over 80 million active users playing worldwide and that it brings “lots of happiness” to those playing, especially to those who use the creator tools to make things from their imagination for others to try out. To be clear, that is true, and it’s one of the reasons the game has lasted for about two decades.
However, the other side of the coin is a much darker shade. The game is infamous for how certain creators use the in-game tools to make “whatever they want,” which has led to some infamous places in the universe that still remain today. Plus, with numerous under-13 kids playing the game, the universe has become a “haven” of sorts for those who prey on young ones. Sadly, that’s been an issue a lot in recent times, including VERY recent stories involving kidnappings caused by the game.
That has led to a new development, for as WFLA reveals, Florida’s attorney general James Ethmeier has sent a subpoena to Roblox to get “answers” about how it’s protecting the kids within their game via moderation and how data on the children themselves is protected:
“As a father and Attorney General, children’s safety and protection are a top priority. There are concerning reports that this gaming platform, which is popular among children, is exposing them to harmful content and bad actors. We are issuing a subpoena to Roblox to uncover how this platform is marketing to children and to see what policies they are implementing, if any—to avoid interactions with predators.”
Undoubtedly, the dev team will comply and attempt to “reassure” the AG and others that they “are doing their best” to help ensure that their players are safe. However, there are other pieces of evidence that point against this. A recent research study highlighted the poor safety features, which both children and predators could easily avoid.
While this isn’t the only legal matter currently affecting the game, it is a serious one. If more action is taken against the title like this, there could be serious sanctions and other matters put against it until things are truly fixed.
