Roblox is under investigation by the U.S. Senate following concerns about child safety on the platform. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism announced the bipartisan probe yesterday in a letter sent to Roblox CEO David Baszucki.
The letter from Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) outlines a history of alleged criminal activity on Roblox, including grooming, sexual abuse, kidnapping, rape, and murder, with individuals meeting on the platform. The senators stated that Roblox is being used to trade child sexual abuse material, engage in sexually explicit and violent virtual experiences with children, bribe and extort children for explicit content, and lure them into in-person meetings.
According to the letter, Roblox reported 65,381 instances of suspected child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 2025, a figure more than double that reported in 2024. The senators indicated that "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."
Roblox has been directed to preserve all records related to child exploitation and abuse. The company is also required to answer a series of questions and provide specific documents to the committee by August 31. The inquiry seeks information on Roblox's revenue and user engagement by age demographic, the number of accounts reported for inappropriate behavior toward children in 2024 and 2025, and the measures the company has implemented for child protection.
This investigation follows years of similar reports and accusations leveled against Roblox. Over the past six years, the platform has been implicated in various forms of exploitation, from financial schemes reported in 2021 to sexual exploitation detailed in 2024. Reports have also linked Roblox to the spread of far-right extremism to children and real-world violence, including murder.
In response, Roblox has issued statements asserting its commitment to safety and has implemented platform changes, such as enhanced parental controls and age-locks, to prevent children from accessing dangerous content. However, the number of reported incidents suggests these measures may not be fully effective. In 2024, Roblox reported an average of over 80 million daily players worldwide, with approximately 40 percent under the age of 13.
Matt Kaufman, Roblox's chief safety officer, stated, "Roblox is built on the foundation of safety. We do not compromise on that commitment. We look forward to sharing the facts about how we work to protect children on the platform."