The Dark Side of Roblox: A Chilling Week in the Virtual World

As I logged on to Roblox as an eight-year-old girl, I was shocked by the explicit content and potential for child exploitation.

TL;DR
• Roblox has been criticized for its safety features and potential for child exploitation.
• The platform has been accused of being an 'X-rated paedophile hellscape'.
• Parents, be aware of the potential risks and take steps to ensure your child's safety.

Summary
Roblox, a popular online game with over 100 million active daily users, has faced scrutiny over its safety features and monetization strategies. A recent investigation involved logging onto the platform as an eight-year-old girl with parental control settings enabled. The experiment revealed a disturbing environment where the avatar was cyberbullied, aggressively killed, sexually assaulted, and shat on. Despite parental controls, the avatar had access to numerous games with mature themes, including casino-like games, horror games, and role-playing games with suggestive content.

The investigation highlighted concerns about the platform's safety measures and its impact on children. Key findings include:
• In-game spending promotions have been likened to 'child gambling'.
• The platform features 'pay to troll' features that incentivize bullying.
• Many games are designed to encourage spending real money.
• The platform's developer exchange program paid out over $1 billion in 2024-25.

The article also discusses the company's response to safety concerns, including new measures to protect users under 16. However, experts and critics argue that more needs to be done to address issues of child labor, exploitation, and safety. The platform's reliance on user-generated content and its monetization strategies have raised concerns about its impact on children and young developers.

The investigation's findings have sparked renewed calls for greater scrutiny of Roblox's safety features and its business practices. The platform's CEO has defended the company's commitment to safety, but critics argue that more needs to be done to protect children and young users.

As I concluded my week on Roblox, I was left with more questions than answers about the safety of children on the platform.