cross-posted from: hexbear.net/post/5869653
Roblox is possibly the most popular gaming platform on the planet—far more popular than you might think. Grow a Garden, a game built within the app, recently had 21.9 million concurrent players, dwarfing the likes of Fortnite and Counter-Strike 2 by multiple times. And that’s despite being an application recently described as “a pedophile hellscape for kids.” Well, it can now add another similar accolade to its collection, as the entire state of Louisiana has announced it’s suing Roblox, calling it “a breeding ground for sex predators.”
Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill announced the action via X, explaining that she’s coming after the gaming platform due to its “lack of safety protocols,” and the claim that this results in danger for children. Which, in most circumstances, might come across as all-too-familiar hyperbole from a member of government looking for a moral panic to latch onto. It’s just, in the case of Roblox, it’s something that’s been demonstrated to be true over and over again. But no matter the accuracy, the question remains: What is the actual, practical purpose of this suit?
“Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators,” says Murrill, “because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety. Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home.”