Published on September 1st, 2006, Roblox is an online gaming platform that features millions of user-created “experiences” with expansive diversity. Users can socialize with friends and strangers alike in experiences and through private messages. There are many other features, such as avatar customization, virtual currency, and cross-platform accessibility. Roblox is primarily targeted at teenagers, with its ESRB rating being “T for Teens” (13+).
That said, it’s not just teens who use the platform. A majority of their users are under age 12 and between 17 and 24 years old (according to Global Roblox game user distribution by age 2024 on Statista). Originally, the game was targeted towards kids, but as it grew, so did the demographic.
There are plenty of games with a diverse age range that are and were popular, such as Minecraft and Fortnite. Those games have rarely had legal issues regarding user safety, and if they did, they took care of it swiftly. Roblox is rarely any different, with the option to report experiences and users in games and on the site. If there is a problem with someone in-game, you simply go to the player list, then the report tab, where you can report any rule-breaking behavior or users. With that, the platform also has strict censorship of specific words and phrases. If users say blocked words, it tends to turn into hashtags. The words that don’t turn into ‘tags’ can then be reported as stated above.
There is an online creator who posts on YouTube under the name Schlep. He’s someone who actively uses the game like millions of other people. However, Schlep catches people on Roblox who look for and prey on children. He claims that his efforts have led to six arrests and that he has provided extensive evidence of those catches to Roblox.
Some people would think that Roblox may reward this creator. Maybe help them, give them support, or find a preferred way they’d like the reporting to be done. But that is not the case. Schlep was often met with silence or resistance. On August 9th, 2025, Roblox decided to ban Schlep from the platform and issued him a cease-and-desist letter — a document that stops activity that could be unlawful or slanderous towards someone. Roblox said that the creator was partaking in “unauthorized and harmful activities,” including “simulating child endangerment conversations” and “directing users to move conversations off platform.” This frustrated the creator because he strongly believes that he was doing everything within the Roblox Terms of Service.
His frustration was even more enhanced when he spoke about his own experiences with Roblox predators as a child. He expressed that his mother has sent countless emails to Roblox, asking them to protect his son, but they never went anywhere.
Allegedly, there have been hundreds of parents who have done the same thing as Schlep’s mother. They have reported that their children are unsafe or have fallen victim to online grooming.
Whenever it was publicly announced that Roblox had banned Schlep, a fireball of effects took place soon after. The hashtag “#freeschlep” has been trending online, and many users are accusing Roblox of prioritizing its image and profits over child safety.
From a business perspective, Roblox stock has dropped 7-13% due to the Attorney General of Louisiana filing a lawsuit against the company. It’s not just Louisiana; families in Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas also have suits against Roblox. There are also petitions and political pressure on the CEO. On Change.org, a petition calling for David Baszucki’s resignation has garnered hundreds of signatures. U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna publicly sided with Schlep and created his own petition, asking for more child safety on Roblox.
There are a lot of things going on that have yet to be mentioned, like the platform being banned in Qatar in August of 2025. However, David Baszucki has announced that the company is trying to make its game a safer space for children.
In an attempt to address concerns, Roblox rolled out a couple of new safety measures. One thing they announced was age verification. This feature will require users to provide an ID and a facial scan in order to verify their age, and if they are found to be underage, they will face additional restrictions on what games they will be permitted to play. They have also shadow-banned social hangout games. The platform temporarily hid games labeled as “social hangouts,” where predatory behavior often occurs. This action has forced a lot of developers to get their games approved so they can be visible on the site. Roblox is also cracking down on content. They’ve updated their community guidelines to restrict “romantic and sexual content,” including changes to avatar bodies and clothes. Some games have group walls, which game creators use to announce updates and get to know their community better. However, some users take advantage of the walls and use them inappropriately. Roblox plans to remove this feature by 2026.
Despite any concerns about its safety, Roblox remains an incredibly popular game with millions of active players. For many users, the platform’s perceived risks don’t outweigh its appeal, and they continue to make it their primary gaming destination. Since the 2010s, Roblox has consistently maintained its massive popularity, regardless of any debate over whether that’s a good or bad thing.
Some of the info here is backed by stats and public records, while other parts are based on online reports and should be taken as alleged unless proven.
Sources:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1190869/roblox-games-users-global-distribution-age/
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/roblox-stock-tanks-surge-lawsuits-220349908.html
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-08-15/roblox-faces-lawsuits-over-child-safety
https://www.lawsuit-information-center.com/roblox-sex-abuse-lawsuit.html
https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407444339348-Safety-Civility-at-Roblox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVzox6MYSHs
https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407282410644-Age-ID-Verification
https://devforum.roblox.com/t/unshadow-ban-most-social-games-address-the-root-issue/3884935
