Campaigners request US FTC investigation into Roblox child safety
The Story
Online child safety campaigners, including Jonathan Haidt’s Anxious Generation Movement, have asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Roblox. The groups allege the platform’s design and business model harm children’s development and safety. Roblox denies the claims and says it has safeguards in place.
Key Facts
- The dossier filed with the FTC criticises Roblox’s “engagement-maximising design features,” voice and text chat that “repeatedly expose children to sexual content and harmful adults,” and in-game Robux currency that monetises children’s “lack of impulse control.”
- Roblox reports 150 million daily users, including a large number of under-13s.
- The platform features 7 million user-created games; the most popular is Brookhaven. The site has also hosted controversial games with sexually explicit content, violence, and horror.
- Roblox revenue jumped 36% to $4.9bn last year. Game creators earned $1.5bn.
- Roblox recently introduced facial age estimation and a system called Sentinel for “real-time child endangerment detection.”
- Roblox says direct chat is off by default for players under age nine, and voice chat is restricted to age-checked players 13 or older.
- Last month a jury in California ruled Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article. Note: Roblox strongly disputes the campaigners’ claims. A company spokesperson stated the platform is “designed to provide a positive, healthy and enjoyable experience,” and that “no system can be perfect.” They added that only 1.4% of users were payers in the first quarter of 2026 and that no one is required to buy Robux.
Still Unclear
What action, if any, the FTC will take in response to the request for an investigation.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Jonathan Haidt – author of *The Anxious Generation* and co-founder of the Anxious Generation Movement
- Casey Mock – senior policy director of the Anxious Generation Movement
- Haley Hinkle – policy counsel for Fairplay
- Andrew Ferguson – chair of the Federal Trade Commission
- An unnamed Roblox spokesperson
Sources: The Guardian
