Hundreds of parents ask Roblox board to stop attempts to force lawsuits out of the public eye

(NEW YORK) -- A group of 800 parents -- including those who have already filed suit and those who have retained lawyers with the intent to sue --sent a letter to the board of directors of Roblox demanding the gaming company stop attempts to keep lawsuits out of the public eye.

Roblox, launched in 2006, has been at the center of recent controversy, with some parents alleging that the platform has been used to help facilitate child sexual exploitation and grooming. 

The company is facing over 100 lawsuits that were recently consolidated, with one law firm telling ABC News that it is investigating thousands of child sexual exploitation and abuse claims.

Roblox had nearly 83 million average daily active users in 2024, according to its financial reports. It reported $3.6 billion in revenue that year.

Pat Huyett, one of the attorneys representing families in the lawsuits, said Roblox's legal strategy has been to file motions to compel arbitration -- a private, out-of-court process where claims are settled confidentially by a third party.

"They are confidential, they're secretive," Huyett said. "Anything that happens in those arbitration proceedings does not become public, so Roblox's conduct can't be scrutinized by the public."

In the letter sent Sunday night, the parents asked the board to "stop the improper and shameful attempts to force these vulnerable, sexually abused and exploited children into secret arbitration proceedings." 

The letter includes signatures from parents in Washington, California, Florida and Texas who allege their children were targeted by predators.

"These children deserve their day in court," the parents wrote.

The company has consistently responded to the lawsuits and allegations by stating that protecting children is a priority and announcing investments in safety measures, including artificial intelligence age verification. 

According to Roblox, inappropriate content is against the rules and standards of the game. The company says it uses thousands of human moderators and artificial intelligence tools to police content.

"We are deeply troubled by any allegations about harms to children online and are committed to setting the industry standard for safety," a spokesperson for Roblox previously told ABC News. "To protect our users, we have rigorous, industry-leading policies, including limiting chat for younger users and employing advanced filters designed to block the sharing of personal information. Roblox also does not allow users to share images or videos. We also collaborate closely with law enforcement."

A separate group of 150 parents sent a similar letter to Discord, a communication platform that families allege predators use to communicate with minors after meeting them on Roblox. 

Roblox and Discord did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Discord previously told ABC News the company is "committed to safety" and said it requires all users to be 13 to use their platform. 

"We maintain strong systems to prevent the spread of sexual exploitation and grooming on our platform and also work with other technology companies and safety organizations to improve online safety across the internet," the spokesperson previously said. 

The letter from the parents contains accounts from parents about their children's experience, including a Washington state teenager allegedly coerced into sending explicit images and a minor in California who was allegedly groomed on the platform and later died by suicide. 

Families from Florida and Texas also described experiences involving extortion, self-harm and physical assault.

The push from parents follows a ruling from a judge in November that rejected Roblox's attempt to force a child exploitation case into arbitration. In the order, the California judge cited the federal Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA), which prohibits forced arbitration in cases of sexual abuse. Roblox has appealed the order.

In the letter sent on Sunday, the parents argued that while Roblox claims to prioritize "community before company," it is simultaneously "attempting to silence abused and exploited children in secret arbitration."

"By trying to force sexually abused and exploited children to tell their stories only in private, confidential proceedings, Roblox seeks to protect predators and itself, not its users," the letter states.

Huyett told ABC News, "The families really just want to heal ... but on the other hand, they want accountability."

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