Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) launched an investigation Wednesday into Roblox’s handling of child safety on its online gaming platform.
“Roblox appears to prioritize revenue and engagement metrics over the safety and well-being of our children, and the alleged criminal activity on Roblox warrants congressional scrutiny,” Hawley and Durbin, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, wrote in a letter obtained by POLITICO.
“Roblox is built on the foundation of safety. We do not compromise on that commitment,” Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer, said in a statement. “We look forward to sharing the facts about how we protect children on the platform.”
As part of the probe, the lawmakers have asked Roblox CEO David Baszucki for documents detailing how the platform protects minors as the Senate intensifies scrutiny of children’s online experiences.
Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee advanced a slate of bills aimed at protecting kids on social media platforms. Hawley, meanwhile, has lobbied to include his and Durbin’s bill to curb child sexual abuse material online, the Stop CSAM Act, in the must-pass defense policy bill.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has also negotiated with tech companies over whether top executives will testify about how their platforms protect young users. The committee’s chair, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), has separately probed Meta over alleged negligence and pushed for legislation that is intended to combat child exploitation online.
Hawley and Durbin’s missive lay out a series of high-profile instances in which adult users allegedly committes “serious acts of violence and harm against children they met via Roblox, including grooming, sexual abuse, kidnapping, rape, and even murder.”
These cases have spurred lawsuits nationwide, with Republican Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson seeking to lead a class-action lawsuit against the platform earlier last week. Democratic Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, in a separate suit, secured a $12 million settlement and a promise to make platform changes.
“Let us be clear: children on your platform are hurting,” Hawley and Durbin wrote. “Congress will not look the other way.”
The pair asked Roblox for a response no later than Aug. 31.
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