Roblox's problematic moderation: Difference between revisions
Arnold Castillo section handled, more filled in on the problematic moderation section, prepped a new section on how the moderation is causing laws like OSA to happen. |
Plasmacticus (talk | contribs) Added more detail to the 'Consumer response' section, detailing the community's response to Schlep facing legal threats. I'm not sure if I cited X properly because the title of the page contains the whole Tweet, which doesn't display fully depending on how long it is, so when my browser had a '...' I also put that. I checked the HTML source code and the title has line breaks, but I decided not to include them. |
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*Collaborating with law enforcement according to a blog post.<ref name=":1" /> | *Collaborating with law enforcement according to a blog post.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
==Lawsuits & legal controversies <!--https://www.anapolweiss.com/blog/roblox-enabled-child-exploitationnow-its-trying-to-dodge-accountability-in-court-we-wont-let-that-happen/ https://www.gamethemedia.com/the-crime-history-of-roblox-->== | ==Lawsuits & legal controversies<!--https://www.anapolweiss.com/blog/roblox-enabled-child-exploitationnow-its-trying-to-dodge-accountability-in-court-we-wont-let-that-happen/ https://www.gamethemedia.com/the-crime-history-of-roblox-->== | ||
{{Incomplete section}} | {{Incomplete section}} | ||
Litigation has been frequent for the platform regarding its neglect to handle child predators for several years now.<!--Trying to get scaffolding done here, first time in a while we got a bunch of litigation for an ongoing problem. Going to take more labor to summarize each case adequately.--> | Litigation has been frequent for the platform regarding its neglect to handle child predators for several years now.<!--Trying to get scaffolding done here, first time in a while we got a bunch of litigation for an ongoing problem. Going to take more labor to summarize each case adequately.--> | ||
=== Arnold Castillo (Feb - Jul 2022) === | ===Arnold Castillo (Feb - Jul 2022)=== | ||
In February 2022, the lead game developer for the game ''Sonic Eclipse Online'' on Roblox, Arnold Castillo, used the platform to groom an anonymous minor. Months later in May, he coerced the minor into crossing state lines to his property via the service [[Uber]].<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jul 29, 2022 |title=New Jersey Man Federally Charged with Enticement of a Minor and Interstate Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/new-jersey-man-federally-charged-enticement-minor-and-interstate-transportation-minor |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=DOJ - Southern District of Indiana Attorney's Office}}</ref> Days after the abduction, the individual was detained and put on trial, and received 2 life sentences and $500k in fines. This occurred after Castillo's extensive history of violating the platform's Terms of Service for the purposes of grooming minors. Both his community and staff released 2 documents<ref>{{Cite web |title=The DoctorRofatnik Archives |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IBLEag66elaVPs11PimO2t2M0ikCCb67ti_RNYB0MxQ/edit?tab=t.0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/the-doctor-rofatnik-archives/mode/2up |archive-date=2020-10-26 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Response to your claims |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a6NozfqgKOLT1882d9xy1QuJzW0TWJXuorvincSI4z8/edit?tab=t.0 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref> covering his harmful behavior on both [[Roblox]] and additionally [[Discord]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Oct 31, 2022 |title=The Roblox Developer Arrested By The FBI |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDfdlLuAgA |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - Ruben Sim}}</ref> Roblox's moderation refused to directly handle the situation, despite the extensive reports, and his arrest compiled with the charges he faced were only successful due to datamining efforts via vigilantes on the platform.<ref name=":4" /> | In February 2022, the lead game developer for the game ''Sonic Eclipse Online'' on Roblox, Arnold Castillo, used the platform to groom an anonymous minor. Months later in May, he coerced the minor into crossing state lines to his property via the service [[Uber]].<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jul 29, 2022 |title=New Jersey Man Federally Charged with Enticement of a Minor and Interstate Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/new-jersey-man-federally-charged-enticement-minor-and-interstate-transportation-minor |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=DOJ - Southern District of Indiana Attorney's Office}}</ref> Days after the abduction, the individual was detained and put on trial, and received 2 life sentences and $500k in fines. This occurred after Castillo's extensive history of violating the platform's Terms of Service for the purposes of grooming minors. Both his community and staff released 2 documents<ref>{{Cite web |title=The DoctorRofatnik Archives |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IBLEag66elaVPs11PimO2t2M0ikCCb67ti_RNYB0MxQ/edit?tab=t.0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/the-doctor-rofatnik-archives/mode/2up |archive-date=2020-10-26 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Response to your claims |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a6NozfqgKOLT1882d9xy1QuJzW0TWJXuorvincSI4z8/edit?tab=t.0 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref> covering his harmful behavior on both [[Roblox]] and additionally [[Discord]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Oct 31, 2022 |title=The Roblox Developer Arrested By The FBI |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDfdlLuAgA |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - Ruben Sim}}</ref> Roblox's moderation refused to directly handle the situation, despite the extensive reports, and his arrest compiled with the charges he faced were only successful due to datamining efforts via vigilantes on the platform.<ref name=":4" /> | ||
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==Consumer response== | ==Consumer response== | ||
Users such as Schlep have turned to vigilantism due to the negligence of the platform's own moderation teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Feb 7, 2024 |title=I Caught a Roblox PREDATOR in this game... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQMSc-9jGMQ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> | Users such as Schlep have turned to vigilantism due to the negligence of the platform's own moderation teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Feb 7, 2024 |title=I Caught a Roblox PREDATOR in this game... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQMSc-9jGMQ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> In response, [[Roblox]] has issued a cease and desist notice to Schlep,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=Schlep on X: "Every account I've ever made on Roblox has been terminated... |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954101415564951680 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> being condemned by the community and prompting a hashtag #FreeSchlep,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Schlep on X: "wow its trending again. 3 days in a row now I was lowkey ... |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954982451350008298 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=X}}</ref> notably with support from popular [[Roblox]] Youtuber KreekCraft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=KreekCraft on X: "Roblox Schlep situation https://t.co/1WZ92x6Bju" / X |url=https://x.com/KreekCraft/status/1954215182311297365 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-10 |title=Roblox Banned Schlep - YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKOYXcYmxow |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=YouTube}}</ref> Furthermore, [[Roblox]] has publicly outlawed vigilante groups on their platform,<ref name=":1" /> causing vigilante group RoCatchers, a predator-catching group, to disband.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=RoCatchers on X: "We sadly have to disband what we're doing on here. ... |url=https://x.com/RoCatchers/status/1954221211581301201 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=X}}</ref> | ||
== Legacy<!-- To be worked on, their negligence has caused legal changes that will harm consumers --> == | ==Legacy<!-- To be worked on, their negligence has caused legal changes that will harm consumers -->== | ||
{{Incomplete section}} | {{Incomplete section}} | ||
The negligence shown by Roblox and the platform's moderation has been a key point within various forms of legal legislation to require identification on online services. Most notably the [[Online Safety Act]] within the United Kingdom. | The negligence shown by Roblox and the platform's moderation has been a key point within various forms of legal legislation to require identification on online services. Most notably the [[Online Safety Act]] within the United Kingdom. | ||