Summary
Several U.S. child safety groups have asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the gaming platform Roblox for risking children’s safety and encouraging excessive spending. The complaint focuses on in-game purchases, chat features, and design elements that may keep children playing longer and spending more money.Key Facts
- Child safety organizations Fairplay and the National Centre on Sexual Exploitation filed a complaint with the FTC against Roblox.
- They raised concerns about children being pressured to spend money and exposed to unsafe contact through chat features.
- Roblox uses a virtual currency called Robux, which can be bought and spent on avatar items and game passes.
- A parent reported their 10-year-old spent over $7,000 in two months despite spending limits.
- The complaint describes some game features as "gambling-like," with chance-based rewards and loot boxes.
- Roblox uses age-estimation technology and blocks children from chatting with adults to improve safety.
- Campaigners worry that children’s impulse control and peer pressure are exploited by the platform’s design.
- Roblox said most games are free, only a small fraction of users spend money, and it bans gambling and similar practices.
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