Roblox

[[File:Roblox Logo 2022.svg|thumb|165px|"It’s free"]]{{Video games}}{{Cquote|Oof!|||The roblox death sound before a {{wpl|Tommy Tallarico|certain someone}} threatened to sue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-18 |title=OOF / Roblox Death Sound |url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/oof-roblox-death-sound |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Know Your Meme}}</ref>}}

'''Roblox''' is a video game platform for the young’uns released in 2006. Development is currently managed by the '''Roblox Corporation'''. It had relatively few games for most of its history until experiencing a huge surge in users during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].

Roblox games are created in a software called Roblox Studio where the game logic is coded in the Lua programming language. Roblox virtual currency is known as Robux. There used to be another currency called Tix that can be converted into Robux while a small amount was earned daily until around 2016 where Roblox removed it in order to monetize Robux more. Their monthly/yearly subscription service is known as Roblox Premium, formerly builder’s club where benefits can be bought for a subscription fee including monthly Robux and other in-game benefits.

What started as a virtual Lego-like platform turned into a steaming pile of [[political]], [[religious]], and development drama. Often fueled by the poor moderation system, there has been an extensive history of controversies often extreme enough where small impacts can be seen in the [[real world]]. Nevertheless, Roblox continues to grow as a dominant platform in the gaming industry with 216 million monthly active users and 70.2 million daily active users as of 2024.<ref name="pstats"/> This large player count contributes to some of the top Roblox games even beating the most popular games in other gaming platforms such as {{wpl|Steam (service)|Steam|.}} Over 50% of [[children]] in the U.S. play Roblox.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lyles |first=Taylor |date=2020-07-21 |title=Over half of US kids are playing Roblox, and it’s about to host Fortnite-esque virtual parties too |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/21/21333431/roblox-over-half-of-us-kids-playing-virtual-parties-fortnite |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>

==Background and development==
Roblox started development in 2004 by company co-founders David Baszucki and Erik Cassel. The beta stage was known as DynaBlocks until the company name change in 2005. Roblox officially was released into the public in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vashishtha |first=Yashica |date=2019-07-24 |title=David Baszucki : Founder of Roblox, the Biggest Video Game Building Platform |url=https://www.yourtechstory.com/2019/07/24/david-baszucki-founder-roblox-biggest-video-game-building-platform/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Your Tech Story |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2007, in order to be compliant with the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Roblox introduced a safety feature called safe chat, which restricted how users under the age of 13 can communicate.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SuperAwesome and Roblox join forces on kid-safe advertising |url=https://kidscreen.com/2015/06/23/superawesome-and-roblox-join-forces-on-kid-safe-advertising/ |access-date=2024-04-20}}</ref>

In 2013, Roblox launched the Developer Exchange program, allowing developers to exchange Robux (the platform's virtual currency) for real money. This initiative encouraged more developers to create content for the platform.<ref>Jeffrey Grubb, [https://venturebeat.com/games/roblox-is-gamings-quiet-giant-and-its-only-getting-bigger/ Roblox is gaming's quiet giant — and it's only getting bigger]. ''GamesBeat'', 6 June 2014.</ref>

In November 2018, Roblox gutted the ability to play as a "guest" where account registration was not required.<ref>[https://devforum.roblox.com/t/removal-of-guest-mode/54517 Removal of Guest Mode]. devforum.roblox.com, 2 October 2017.</ref>

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Roblox experienced a significant surge in users and engagement as people turned to online platforms for entertainment and social interaction.

In October 2021, Roblox faced the longest downtime of about three days. While people pointed fingers at their collaboration with Chipotle Mexican Grill in a game event, Baszucki responded to the speculation that it was a fatal bug that overwhelmed their backend servers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Plant |first=Logan |date=2021-10-29 |title=Roblox's Servers Are Back Online [Update] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/roblox-servers-down-chipotle-free-burritos |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

On March 12, 2021, the Roblox corporation went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as $RBLX.<ref>[https://ir.roblox.com/news/news-details/2021/Roblox-to-Commence-Trading-on-NYSE-on-March-10-2021/default.aspx Roblox to Commence Trading on NYSE on March 10, 2021]. Roblox, 9 March 2021.</ref>

==Controversies==
===Moderation, or the lack thereof===
Roblox moderation has been known to be very shitty. Moderation is often in the hands of bots and minimum wage outsource workers in places such as [[India]] where often the punishment does not fit the violation, sometimes the violation not being punished at all. At the same time, there are 216 million monthly active users on the Roblox platform which is quite a burden to any moderation team of any size.<ref name="pstats">{{Cite web |last=Shewale |first=Rohit |date=2024-01-15 |title=Roblox Statistics For 2024 (Active Players, Revenue & Usage) |url=https://www.demandsage.com/how-many-people-play-roblox/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=DemandSage |language=en-US}}</ref>

The bot used to automate some aspects of moderation (e.g. chat, usernames, and images) is an [[AI]]-powered software called CommunitySift by [[Microsoft]] that also aids in filtering Roblox's chatting sytem.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Community Sift |url=https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/products/community-sift/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Microsoft Game Dev |language=en-US}}</ref>

In May 2020, a [[hacker]] bribed an employee working for Roblox in India to gain access to the moderation panel. It revealed some aspects about the [[censorship]], including that it was outsourced to a company called iEnergizer, a company that specializes in game outsourcing and customer service.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cox |first=Joseph |date=2020-05-04 |title=Hacker Bribed 'Roblox' Insider to Access User Data |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/qj4ddw/hacker-bribed-roblox-insider-accessed-user-data-reset-passwords |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref>

As a result of such poor moderation action, it is not difficult to find games, clothing, groups, and other assets that are related to [[sexual]] content. Inappropriate usernames can also be found that reference sexual acts and objects.

On the bright side, though overdue, in July 2023, Roblox introduced a feature where users can attach screenshots to their report system, making it easier for moderators to determine rule violations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdvUyUPuLnM |title=You can now attach a screenshot when sending a report to #Roblox! 🚩 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-20 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

===Pedophilia===
{{main|Pedophilia}}
Roblox has a well extensive list of child predators that persisted on the platform where it took a very long time for some of them to be apprehended by the authorities or not at all. These individuals lurked within the virtual realms, exploiting the platform's communication features to target vulnerable users. Oftentimes, they direct their targets to other platforms so that Roblox is left unable to take action for off-site behavior due to their community guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-08 |title=Roblox of San Mateo fails to protect child gamers from predators, sexual content, lawsuit claims |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/08/roblox-of-san-mateo-fails-to-protect-child-gamers-from-predators-sexual-content-lawsuit-claims/ |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref>

One notable case was a middle-aged man (Shane Penczak) who posed as a young teenage girl going by the username xboxdiamondgirl2683 on Roblox and by xboxdiamondgirl on Discord. He coerced a young boy into sending explicit photos in exchange for electronic Robux gift cards while exploiting the computer illiteracy that his (Penczak's, not the boy's) mother had while still living in her home.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Staff Report|title=North Port man charged with enticing child over the internet to commit lewd sex acts |url=https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2022/01/26/north-port-florida-man-charged-enticing-child-online-commit-sex-acts/9225896002/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Sarasota Herald-Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cbs12.com/news/local/shane-penczak-pretended-teenage-girl-blackmailed-young-boy-child-sexual-abuse-of-children-arrested-sentenced-north-port-new-jersey-investigation-roblox-discord-account-florida-august-10-2023|title=North Port man receives prison sentence for pretending to be young girl, blackmailing young boy}}</ref> In a separate instance, a man named Arnold Castillo who created a ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' knock-off on the Roblox platform was found to have groomed a teenager using the site.<ref name="BloomBizweek">{{cite web|author=Olivia Carville and Cecilia D'Anastasio|date=July 22, 2024|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-roblox-pedophile-problem/|title=Roblox's Pedophile Problem|work=Bloomberg Businessweek}}</ref> His real identity was actually identified by groups of minors themselves, a year and a half before federal police; about this, an [[FBI]] agent commented: "Seeing what those children did, as far as compiling all this and their ability to identify Mr. Castillo, well, they might want to submit some applications to the FBI one day."<ref>{{cite web|author=Rich Stanton|date=August 7, 2024|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/a-pedophile-used-roblox-to-groom-abduct-and-sexually-assault-a-15-year-old-girl-a-full-18-months-after-the-community-had-outed-him-as-a-predator/|title=A pedophile used Roblox to groom, abduct and sexually assault a 15-year-old girl, a full 18 months after the community had outed him as a predator|work=PC Gamer}}</ref> He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.<ref>{{cite web|date=August 30, 2023|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/new-jersey-man-sentenced-15-years-federal-prison-after-grooming-minor-online-and|title=New Jersey Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison After Grooming Minor Online and Transporting Her Across State Lines via Uber for Sex|work=United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana}} (US Department of Justice).</ref>

===Manipulative and addictive design===
The Roblox Corporation has faced increasing scrutiny for its use of "dark patterns" and behavioral engineering designed to maximize "user stickiness" and microtransactions. Critics and researchers allege that the platform's infrastructure is less of a game and more of a digital [[Skinner box]], utilizing [[operant conditioning]] to habituate young users into compulsive play loops. This design strategy reportedly leverages the dopamine-driven reward systems of developing brains, which are particularly susceptible to the "variable-ratio reinforcement" found in [[gambling]] mechanics such as [[Loot box|loot boxes]] and random item drops.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Browning |first=Kellen |date=2020-08-16 |title=Where Has Your Tween Been During the Pandemic? On This Gaming Site |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/16/technology/roblox-tweens-videogame-coronavirus.html |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

A significant portion of this criticism centers on the platform’s virtual currency, Robux. By forcing users to convert real-world currency into a proprietary virtual token, Roblox creates a "psychological disconnect" that disconnects spending from the actual cost of items, a tactic common in [[casino]] environments to encourage reckless spending. In 2025, a study by researchers at the University of Sydney described the platform's monetization as "literally just child gambling," noting that children often struggle to conceptualize the financial harm of these "deceptive" transactions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-24 |title='Literally just child gambling': study urges swift regulation of Roblox's in-game spending |url=https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2025/03/24/literally-just-child-gambling-study-urges-swift-regulation-of-roblox.html |access-date=2026-02-08 |website=The University of Sydney |language=en}}</ref>

The platform also utilizes social engineering to drive engagement through "avatar status." Within the Roblox ecosystem, an account's social capital is often tied to its aesthetic appearance, creating a hierarchy where users without paid items are stigmatized as "noobs." This manufactured social pressure triggers a fear of missing out (FOMO) that promotes daily logins and impulse purchases.

In early 2026, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) launched a formal investigation into Roblox for potential violations of the [[European Union]]'s Digital Services Act. The probe specifically targets the platform’s use of "misleading techniques" and its failure to implement appropriate safeguards for minors against online abuse and deception.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-30 |title=ACM launches investigation into Roblox in connection with risks that minors are facing |url=https://www.acm.nl/en/publications/acm-launches-investigation-roblox-connection-risks-minors-are-facing |access-date=2026-02-08 |website=Authority for Consumers and Markets |language=en}}</ref> Furthermore, a wave of multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the United States has alleged that the company "weaponized" its platform by hiring behavioral scientists and psychologists to refine features that intentionally trigger addiction-like responses in minors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-10 |title=Game Addiction Lawsuit: Roblox, Minecraft Among those Named in New Suit |url=https://www.carlsonattorneys.com/game-addiction-lawsuit/|access-date=2026-02-08 |website=The Carlson Law Firm |language=en}}</ref>

===Schlep===
Schlep is a Roblox YouTuber who made content exposing predators (along with JiDion) specifically by pretending to be an underage user to lure them into meeting in real life, only for them to be arrested by the police. However, in August of 2025, Roblox sent a cease-and-desist letter and terminated all his accounts. When Schlep revealed this, Roblox doubled down by claiming that this was a [[Bullshit|measure against creating an unsafe environment]].<ref>https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/08/more-on-removal-of-vigilantes-from-roblox</ref><ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/08/15/louisiana-sues-roblox-as-controversy-over-child-safety-and-banning-vigilante-users-grows/</ref> Not only did nobody buy this, but it ended up making Roblox look even worse. Chris Hansen, host of ''To Catch a Predator'' reached out to Schlep to make a documentary about the batshit way Roblox handles child safety. In addition, attorney general Liz Murill sued Roblox over their decision.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/08/15/louisiana-sues-roblox-as-controversy-over-child-safety-and-banning-vigilante-users-grows/</ref>

===Political extremism===
There have been [[trolls]] who use Roblox as a virtual playground to probe the red lines of their [[extremism]]. This is mainly done for recruitment so that the extremist ideologies can spread.<ref>{{Cite news |last=D'Anastasio |first=Cecilia |title=How 'Roblox' Became a Playground for Virtual Fascists |url=https://www.wired.com/story/roblox-online-games-irl-fascism-roman-empire/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> Examples of such extremist and [[racist]] content can be seen in usernames and clothing that reference [[neo-Nazi]] coded [[dog whistles]].

One example of such trolls is self-proclaimed members of [[Proud Boys]] making their avatars [[Cult of personality|look like]] the founder [[Gavin McInnes]].<ref name="nbcalt"/>

An August 2019 investigation by NBC News revealed over 100 accounts linked to [[far-right]] and neo-Nazi groups. It had to take pressure from the press such as NBC for Roblox to remove them.<ref name="nbcalt">{{Cite web |date=2019-08-21 |title=Extremists creep into Roblox, an online game popular with children |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/extremists-creep-roblox-online-game-popular-children-n1045056 |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>

During the [[George Floyd]] protests, some players darkened their avatars' skins, ostensibly as a show of solidarity with [[African American]]s. However, this protest faced criticism with the accusation that it was a "virtual" [[blackface]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Browning |first=Kellen |date=2020-08-16 |title=Where Has Your Tween Been During the Pandemic? On This Gaming Site |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/16/technology/roblox-tweens-videogame-coronavirus.html |access-date=2024-04-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===Religious involvement===
[[File:Roblox Traslacion-2024.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Jesus oof'd for our sins.{{efn|Which is interesting as the "oof" sound effect was taken off the game ''{{wpl|Messiah (video game)|Messiah}}'' where you play as a cherub sent by [[God]] to rid Earth of sin and corruption.}}]]
As a result of government-mandated lockdowns implemented across the world during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] which led to the suspension of in-person gatherings such as [[Eucharist|masses]] and religious processions, there were some youth organisations who resorted to virtual events in lieu of mass gatherings in an effort to express their religious convictions. In [[Poland]], it has became popular for children to attend virtual masses held in Roblox. One of the groups who hold these masses is the "Archdiocese of Gniezno". While most of the children and youths behind the group are not ordained ministers, there have been a few [[priest]]s and [[Christians]] who commended this trend for helping spread the faith in the face of a pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-31 |title=The surprising trend of virtual Catholic Masses on Roblox |url=https://aleteia.org/2023/01/31/the-surprising-trend-of-virtual-catholic-masses-on-roblox/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Aleteia — Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and Culture |language=en}}</ref> Virtual church events and processions have also become popular in the [[Philippines]], such as a virtual ''{{wpl|Feast of the Black Nazarene|Traslación}}'' set up by devotees of the {{wpl|Black Nazarene}} in place of the actual Nazarene procession which was suspended in 2021 due to the above-mentioned lockdowns.<ref name="nazareno">{{Cite web |title='Virtual' na paggunita sa Pista ng Nazareno nagsimula na |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/03/22/virtual-na-paggunita-sa-pista-ng-nazareno-nagsimula-na |access-date=April 13, 2023 |website=[[ABS-CBN News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Malasig |first=Jeline |date=2024-01-11 |title=Viral: Pictures of virtual Traslacion 2021 in Roblox resurface |url=https://interaksyon.philstar.com/hobbies-interests/2024/01/11/268416/viral-pics-virtual-traslacion-2021-commemoration-roblox-resurface/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Interaksyon |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Casucian">{{Cite news |last=Casucian |first=Jiselle Anne C. |date=2024-01-07 |title=Traslacion in Roblox and Minecraft: Faith in the digital realm |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/893363/traslacion-in-roblox-and-minecraft-faith-in-the-digital-realm/story/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |work=GMA News |language=en}}</ref>

===Exploitation of child labor===
{{main|Child labour}}
A [[YouTube]] channel called People Make Games has published a video in which they have claimed to investigate the Roblox Corporation’s practices regarding child labor and game development. They found that Roblox would promise children tremendous sums of money when they monetize their recreations, whereas as in reality they were giving them little-to-no money in return by having high revenue cuts, a trade rate in offering Robux lower than the rate for buying Robux, and lack of strategies to make their games effectively discoverable. They compared it to scrip.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-08-20 |title=Roblox "exploiting" young game developers, new investigation reports |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/roblox-exploiting-young-game-developers-new-investigation-reports |access-date=2024-04-20 |work=Eurogamer.net |language=en}}</ref>

Roblox then raised suspicions by requesting the channel to take down the video, which then prompted them to investigate deeper regarding the issues faced in the Roblox platform. In addition to child endangerment and safety, they also dived into the issue of sexual predators, [[gambling]], and hacked accounts.<ref>{{Cite news |last=published |first=Andy Chalk |date=2021-12-14 |title=Roblox faces new allegations of being unsafe for children |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/roblox-faces-new-allegations-of-being-unsafe-for-children/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref>

Reports from other media corroborate the idea of child labor in Roblox as a business model.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Parkin |first=Simon |date=2022-01-09 |title=The trouble with Roblox, the video game empire built on child labour |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2022/jan/09/the-trouble-with-roblox-the-video-game-empire-built-on-child-labour |access-date=2024-04-20 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Ashley |date=2022-02-18 |title=Is Roblox Safe For Kids? Child Exploitation Allegations Abound |url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/02/17/is-roblox-safe-for-kids/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Digital Music News |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Compliance with Chinese censorship===
{{main|Great Firewall of China}}
In July 2021, Roblox partnered with [[Chinese]] company Tencent to enter the lucrative Chinese market by releasing a restricted version of Roblox called LuoBuLeSi (罗布乐思). Consequently, they had to comply with Chinese censorship laws, despite the company being aware of Tencent's past failures. 

Roblox published a guide that developers must follow in order to get their user-generated content (UGC) into Chinese markets. Many developers were frustrated with how restrictive the guidelines were and the censorship and [[privacy]] invasion that the Chinese government is well known for. One example of such rule is the prohibition of "disrespecting Chinese history and culture".<ref>[https://devforum.roblox.com/t/china-ugc-submission-checklist/968861 China UGC Submission Checklist - Roblox Devforum] ([https://archive.is/p6pQk Archive])</ref>

It did not last long, though, with Roblox closing down Chinese servers and LuoBuLeSi in December of that year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Joseph |date=2022-07-25 |title=Revealed: Documents Show How Roblox Planned to Bend to Chinese Censorship |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxndpx/revealed-documents-show-how-roblox-planned-to-bend-to-chinese-censorship |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref>

===Corporate run games===
There has been a recent shift towards games on the platform that are developed by corporations, such as with {{wpl|Mattel}} subsidiary [[American Girl]] running a server themed after their doll line<ref>[https://www.roblox.com/games/12429783238/REWARDS-American-Girl-World American Girl World]</ref> as well as British footwear brand Clarks coming up with their own based on their children's shoe mascots,<ref>[https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/kids/playprints-world-roblox PlayPrints World]</ref> leading to concerns about the decreasing presence and support for indie game developers in Roblox. Some of these games are mainly partnerships that mutually benefit both Roblox and the company behind the game. These partnerships often appear in the events category of the Roblox menu. Nevertheless, these and other corporate games are not immune to backlash from the Roblox community.

A well known outlier to the partnership based games is ''Adopt Me!'', one of the most popular Roblox games owned by a company called Uplift Games, which consists of a team of 40 people that earns roughly 60 million dollars a year from the microtransaction system of Roblox games.<ref>Mike Minotti, [https://venturebeat.com/games/roblox-virtual-pet-adoption-creators-start-their-own-studio-uplift-games/ Roblox virtual pet adoption creators start their own studio, Uplift Games]. ''GamesBeat'', 11 May 2021.</ref>

==Gaming "Metaverse"==
Roblox, [[Facebook|after totally not taking inspiration]], grabs the "metaverse" label and popularized it as the platform grew despite pushing features that are not wanted by the community such as the "rthro" avatars in an attempt to appeal to a more mature audience as for most of its existence, Roblox was mainly known as a kids game.

In the end, in June 2023, Roblox gave up on the "metaverse" bandwagon as they planned to find more partnership deals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roblox wants to shed its ‘metaverse’ label |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2023/06/30/roblox-wants-shed-its-metaverse-label |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=The Drum}}</ref>

==In the end==
It is still a silly kids platform, so most of the top games should be fine for enjoyment. Just manage your expectations and don't let your children end up becoming the target of creeps, alright?

==See also==
* [[Ruben Sim]] - One of the only few people whom Roblox has sued.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Business]]
[[Category:Censorship]]
[[Category:Paedophilia]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Moral panics]]

Categories: Business, Censorship, Paedophilia, Technology, Moral panics