Children’s Groups Ask FTC to Investigate Roblox Practices

Two children's advocacy groups have formally requested that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission investigate the gaming platform Roblox for allegedly employing unfair and deceptive practices that harm young users. The complaint, filed Wednesday by Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, centers on the platform's safety claims, its virtual economy, and design features they argue exploit children.

The groups allege Roblox deceives the public about platform safety and unfairly pressures young users to spend money. They have asked the FTC to determine if these practices violate Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive commerce. The filing adds to growing legal and regulatory scrutiny facing the company, which is currently defending more than 140 federal lawsuits in the United States accusing it of facilitating child sexual exploitation.

A primary concern outlined in the complaint is Roblox's communication systems. The groups claim text and voice chat features can expose children to inappropriate content and contact from adults. Researchers using test accounts registered to minors reported encountering sexual references and...