Lincoln, Nebraska – Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has announced a major lawsuit against Roblox Corporation, accusing the popular online gaming platform of failing to protect children while misleading families about the safety of its services. The legal action claims the company knowingly allowed an environment where minors could be exposed to sexual predators, violent material, and other dangerous online interactions.
The lawsuit, filed as part of the state’s consumer protection and child safety efforts, argues that Roblox has built a massive user base largely made up of young children while failing to put effective safeguards in place to protect them. State officials say the platform attracts tens of millions of daily users worldwide, including many under the age of 13.
According to the complaint, Roblox presents itself as a safe space designed for children and families. However, the state alleges that the platform’s actual conditions tell a very different story. Investigators claim that the company has long been aware of risks to children but has failed to address them adequately.
Attorney General Hilgers said parents deserve transparency about the digital platforms their children are using.
“Parents deserve the truth,” said Attorney General Hilgers. “Roblox has built a multibillion-dollar business on the trust of families, all while creating a playground for predators and exposing children to graphic and dangerous content. Our office will not tolerate companies that endanger kids and mislead the public.”
Allegations of Dangerous Online Environment
The lawsuit outlines several areas where the state believes Roblox failed to protect minors. One major concern involves communication tools that allegedly allow direct contact between adult users and children. These tools include private messaging, voice chat, and interactive digital worlds created by users known as experiences.
State officials argue that such features make it easier for predators to communicate with children and potentially exploit them.
The complaint also states that children can encounter sexually explicit, violent, or otherwise inappropriate content on the platform. Officials say some of this material may be accessible to users as young as six years old.
Another concern raised in the lawsuit involves virtual environments that simulate criminal activity. According to the state, these experiences can include graphic depictions of violence and other disturbing scenarios that may not be appropriate for younger audiences.
The state’s legal filing also criticizes Roblox’s parental control tools. Officials claim the available safety features are difficult for families to navigate, can be easily bypassed by users, or may give parents a misleading sense of security.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Roblox was aware of the widespread problems but failed to take meaningful action. The lawsuit claims the company prioritized profits and growth while allowing harmful behavior and content to spread across the platform.
The complaint also challenges the company’s marketing and public messaging. State officials say Roblox has repeatedly told parents that the platform is safe, moderated, and built with child protection in mind. However, investigators argue that the company has refused to adopt reasonable safety measures that could reduce risks to young users.
Even safety steps that have been added in response to earlier legal pressure are described as insufficient. The lawsuit claims those protections are under-resourced and unable to handle the scale of abuse that allegedly occurs on the platform.
Part of Broader Effort to Protect Children Online
The action against Roblox is part of a wider national effort by state attorneys general to hold technology companies accountable for how their platforms affect children. Across the country, officials have raised concerns about online services that attract young users while failing to provide adequate safeguards.
Hilgers’ office says the lawsuit reflects Nebraska’s ongoing commitment to protect children and families from online risks.
In recent years, the attorney general has also pursued legal action against other major social media companies, including Meta and TikTok. Those cases similarly focus on claims that companies misrepresented the safety of their platforms while allowing harmful content or behavior to affect young users.
Officials say the Roblox lawsuit continues that broader strategy aimed at ensuring companies that operate large online platforms take stronger steps to protect minors.
The outcome of the case could have significant implications for how companies design and manage online environments used by millions of children around the world.
