ROBLOX CEO David Baszucki responds to criticism of cyber security, saying it’s an industry-wide problem.
This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-Talk (8255).
Efforts to protect children from harmful content and victims online continue to grow, as supporters and lawmakers say social media companies have gone to gaming platforms – failing to protect against inappropriate content.
The controversy has sparked a wave of lawsuits from parents and government attorneys who say tech companies haven’t done enough to keep kids safe online. One company at the center of those lawsuits: roblox.
“Some of those statements we categorically reject. But at the same time, we are all united in keeping children safe,” David CEO David Baszucki told Fox Business. “Everyone in the world wants children to be safe.”
David Baszucki is the founder and CEO of Roblox. (Tuttle / Gentty images for Roblox)
Baszucki did not admit wrongdoing. He pointed out that the issue of children’s online safety goes far beyond the roblox platform.
“We think it’s a problem in the industry,” said Baszucki, adding that many parents “don’t know that their young child has access not only to Roblox, but to many applications where you can share freely.”
However, roblox, in particular, is called by many accused that the platform is a place where victims can exploit vulnerable children.
COBLOX CEO insists the platform is safe for children even though there have been more cases of victims online
The platform allows users to play and create games, often called “experiences,” and is open to children of all ages. In total, the company has 111.8 active daily users. About 39.7 million people are under the age of 13, although the Roblox website says that the company has strict privacy settings for them. For example, access to certain items will be restricted in the interest of protecting their information, according to the website, which noted that the company ”
| It’s teasing | Security | – Last | Answer | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rblx | ROBLOX CORP. | 118.67 | -15.07 |
-11.27% |
Louisiana Sues Online Game Gamer COMBOX for Allegedly Enabling Children’s Crackers
A Kentucky mother filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of Kentucky last week on behalf of her 13-year-old daughter who died after committing suicide and practicing suicide on a roblox thread and confessional messages.
A California mother filed a lawsuit against Roblox and Discord in September, claiming that her 15-year-old son, who died by suicide, was abused on the platforms when he was 12. In this thread, a mother suspects that her son was targeted by a larger sex offender who was able to use roblox to infiltrate her child and become her son. The attacker then encouraged the 15-year-old to turn off parental controls and delete the chat, where he forced the teenager to share explicit images.
David Baszucki, founder and CEO of ROBLOX, speaks during the Wall Street Journal Joursel WSJ Tech Live Conference in Laguna Beach, California on Oct. 16, 2023. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
FOX Business has been reached for comment.
A spokesperson for Roblox said that the company is being harassed by the incident, but it was highlighted that the platform does not allow users to share photos or videos, and no images involved have been shared on the platform.
Meta adds new security features to Instagram, Facebook
States are also taking action. Earlier this month, General Ch General James Uthmeier launched a criminal investigation into roblox, showing the platform as a “breeding” method for hunters.
ROBLOX said that Uthmeier’s claims about roblox are false, and that the suggestion that he is sharing illegal images on the platform “shows a lack of understanding of the workings of our platform.”
Kentucky brought a lawsuit against roblox, alleging that the large gaming platform is not safe for children. Attorney General Russell Coleman alleges in a lawsuit, filed in a Kentucky court, that Roblox has insufficient security for children and therefore exposes them to child predators, violence and sexual material.
A girl is working on a smartphone where the roblox app can be seen on November 20, 2024. (Marijan Murat / Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
Baszucki said the company uses text filtering in all communications, Blonda users to share photos such as selfies and serious injury monitors. When the company finds bad actors, Baszucki said it works with law enforcement to remove them from the platform.
“Last year, we brought our customers and all users to Roblox, more than 100 new security features,” said Baszucki. “We’re already constantly innovating. We believe that age limitation is the next phase of that.”
Find FOX business on the go by clicking here
Roblox announced a plan in September to extend the age limit to all roblox users who receive the social features of the platform later this year, ID age verification and verified parental consent. This process, according to roblox, “will provide an accurate estimate of the user’s age rather than simply relying on what was taken from the person when they created the account.”
Baszucki believes this will “set the trend” in the industry, allowing the company to better control who interacts with whom on the platform.
“We believe there is a great opportunity to work with the attorneys general, and really lead the industry in what we really think is a problem in the industry,” he added.
The company teamed up with the Attorney General Alliance to create a new initiative, called Teen Safety for Teens, dedicated to strengthening Internet safety for children.
