Roblox and Discord are being sued for allegedly enabling child exploitation on their platforms. A 13-year-old plaintiff claims he was targeted by a predator while using these apps. The lawsuit accuses both companies of inadequate safety measures, facilitating systematic failures that allow predators to operate. Roblox has commented on their commitment to community safety but cannot discuss the pending lawsuit.
Bay Area tech companies Roblox and Discord are currently facing a lawsuit for allegedly enabling the sexual exploitation of minors on their platforms. Roblox, headquartered in San Mateo, is a gaming platform favored by children, while Discord, based in San Francisco, serves as a messaging application primarily utilized by gaming enthusiasts. The complaint highlights that Roblox is valued at $27 billion and Discord at over $15 billion.
The lawsuit, filed in San Mateo County’s Superior Court on February 12, involves a 13-year-old male plaintiff from Spokane, Washington. The plaintiff asserts that he was targeted by an online predator using these platforms. Following its substantial growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, Roblox reported an average of 68.5 million daily active users in 2023, with a significant portion, 21%, being under 9 years old.
The allegations state that both Roblox and Discord possess inadequate safety measures, leading to systematic failures that permit sexual predators to exploit children. The lawsuit claims the individual who targeted the plaintiff was already facing charges for exploiting another minor and is believed to have affected at least 26 other children.
The plaintiff, who frequently utilized both Roblox and Discord, had access to these applications due to his father’s trust in the safety representations made by the defendants. In response to the lawsuit, Roblox stated, “We cannot comment on pending litigation. With that being said, Roblox takes the safety of its community very seriously. We are constantly innovating and launching new safety features including more than 40 safety features and policies in 2024.” Discord has yet to respond to inquiries from the press regarding the matter.
In conclusion, the lawsuit against Roblox and Discord underscores serious concerns about the safety of young users on these platforms. The allegations of facilitating child exploitation reveal potential systemic failures in safeguarding against predators. As these companies respond to the litigation, the case could lead to increased scrutiny and potential reforms aimed at improving child safety in online gaming and messaging environments.
Original Source: www.cbsnews.com
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