A pending lawsuit against the world’s largest children’s gaming company, Roblox, will proceed after an Iowa judge declined to dismiss it. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office announced yesterday (Thursday) that the Iowa District Court for Polk County ruled this week that the state’s consumer fraud lawsuit may proceed with its deception and unfair practice claims. The lawsuit, brought by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, alleges Roblox misled parents about the safety of its platform and the effectiveness of tools designed to protect children. According to the complaint, the company falsely claimed it reviewed all uploaded images, audio, and video, misrepresented the amount of violent and sexual content on the platform, and used unfair practices such as allowing adult-child communication by default. The court also rejected Roblox’s argument that its platform should not fall under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act because it is free to play. The judge noted the company profits from in-game currency and user data. Bird says, “Companies like Roblox that make false promises to parents and make money off our kids need to be held accountable. Roblox is a playground for predators and a breeding ground for hyper-sexual, violent content.” According to online usage trackers, Roblox has an estimated 144 million active daily users, 70 percent of whom are believed to be under 18.
