FTC files complaint against Roblox over child safety and spending practices. 2026-05-26 (AsiaGameHub) - Roblox is facing a new complaint from the FTC concerning allegations related to child safety, Robux spending, chat accessibility, and the platform's overall design for young users. Good to Know * Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation submitted the complaint on May 20, 2026. * The filing urges the FTC to assess Roblox under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. * Roblox disputes the allegations, citing age verification measures, chat restrictions, parental controls, and moderation systems. Roblox legal challenges expand. Roblox is already contending with over 140 federal lawsuits linked to purported failures in child safety. Attorneys General from Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, Iowa, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Arkansas have also filed suits against the company, while Georgia has launched a separate investigation into claims of adult-minor contact originating on the platform. Now, Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation are calling for FTC intervention. Their complaint, logged under docket 2026-00096, alleges that Roblox may have breached Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive business practices. The request has garnered support from multiple organizations, including the Center for Digital Democracy, the Consumer Federation of America, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Institute for Families and Technology, The Anxious Generation Movement, Young People Alliance, and ParentsSOS. Robux spending under scrutiny. Robux, the platform's virtual currency, is a central focus of the complaint. Users purchase Robux with real money to buy avatar items, access games, support creators, and unlock in-game perks. The advocacy groups contend that younger players often fail to recognize the real-world value of virtual currency. The filing references a case in which a 10-year-old girl reportedly spent over $7,000 on Roblox within two months after circumventing parental controls. The complaint further alleges that Roblox employs design elements that encourage prolonged play and normalize spending, placing the company within a broader regulatory debate about youth exposure to virtual currencies, loot-style mechanics, and in-app purchases. Chat features raise safety concerns. The safety allegations heavily emphasize real-time text and voice chat capabilities. The complaint asserts that these tools may enable adults to contact minors, while parents may lack sufficient awareness of the associated risks. Ashwin Verghese, communications director at Fairplay, stated that parents are attempting to "protect their children on Roblox, but it's not a fair fight." Roblox maintains a vast youth user base, with the company reporting over 30 million daily users under 13. Advocacy groups estimate that more than half of all users are under 17, amplifying the significance of every safety-related claim for parents, regulators, and platform partners. Roblox highlights 2026 safety enhancements. Roblox denies the allegations, emphasizing that U.S. users must verify their age before accessing chat features and that minors are restricted to communicating only with peers within their age group. The platform also references mandatory Facial Age Estimation for chat access, enhanced parental controls, automated moderation systems, and safeguards that prevent the sharing of personal information in chats. Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman has described safety as "a journey with no finish line." Nonetheless, age verification has faced criticism, with reports indicating that pre-verified Roblox accounts appeared for sale on eBay for as little as $4 shortly after the requirement was implemented. The FTC has not indicated whether it will pursue an investigation, and a spokesperson declined to comment. In 2025, Cognosphere agreed to a $20 million settlement with the FTC over Genshin Impact loot box practices and unclear in-game pricing, serving as a cautionary precedent for gaming companies regarding youth monetization. Founded in 2004 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, Roblox operates more as a user-driven creation platform than a conventional game, with Robux serving as the backbone of its internal economy. This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.

FTC requested to investigate Roblox by child safety & Consumer rights advocates. WASHINGTON, DC (May 20, 2026) - Fairplay and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requesting an investigation of Roblox Corporation to determine if it is violating Section 5 of the FTC Act by committing unfair and deceptive acts and practices at the expense of children's safety and well-being. Roblox says over 30 million of its daily users are children under age 13. "Children have been contacted and groomed by predators, exposed to sexually graphic material, sextorted, and abused on Roblox, a highly popular gaming platform where over 50% of their users are under the age of 17. Despite our warnings over the years, Roblox refused to make changes to protect children from harm, only recently making some design changes to prevent unknown adults from contacting children. Roblox has a history of harm and callousness towards children and concerned parents, and must be investigated by the FTC for the sake of children worldwide," said Haley McNamara, Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer, National Center on Sexual Exploitation. NCOSE and Fairplay are joined by the following organizations in the submission of this request: Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Federation of America, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Institute for Families and Technology, The Anxious Generation Movement, Young People's Alliance, and ParentsSOS. About National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) Founded in 1962, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is the leading national non-profit organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking and the public health harms of pornography. Fairplay is the leading nonprofit committed to helping children thrive in an increasingly commercialized, screen-obsessed culture, and the only organization dedicated to ending marketing to children. Fairplay works to enhance children's well-being by eliminating the exploitative and harmful business practices of marketers and Big Tech. Learn more at www.fairplayforkids.org. To schedule an interview with NCOSE, please contact [email protected]. Further Reading The numbers. 300+. 100+. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has had over 100 policy victories since 2010. Each victory promotes human dignity above exploitation. 93. NCOSE's activism campaigns and victories have made headlines around the globe. Averaging 93 mentions per week by media outlets and shows such as Today, CNN, The New York Times, BBC News, USA Today, Fox News and more. NCOSE leads the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation with over 300 member organizations. Survivor lawsuit against twitter moves to ninth circuit court of appeals. Survivors' $12.7M victory over explicit website a beacon of hope for other survivors. Instagram makes positive safety changes via improved reporting and direct message tools. Sharing experiences may be a restorative and liberating process. This is a place for those who want to express their story. Support dignity.