Roblox's problematic moderation: Difference between revisions
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{{Warning|This article contains sexual or violent themes and elements which may be offensive, traumatizing, or disturbing for certain viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.}} | |||
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===Schlep=== | ===Schlep=== | ||
Roblox threatened the content creator Schlep with litigation over vigilantism.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox Is Threatening to Sue Me For Protecting Kids |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8&t |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox-Schlep Controversy |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roblox%E2%80%93Schlep_controversy |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | Roblox threatened the content creator Schlep with litigation over vigilantism.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox Is Threatening to Sue Me For Protecting Kids |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8&t |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox-Schlep Controversy |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roblox%E2%80%93Schlep_controversy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321141928/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roblox%E2%80%93Schlep_controversy |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=21 Mar 2026 |work=[[Wikipedia]]}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> Schlep cited that neglect from Roblox's moderation team was the reason for his actions.<ref name=":02" /> In response to Roblox's submission of 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://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954101415564951680 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154928/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954101415564951680 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]] (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref><ref name=":02" /> the platform was condemned by the community and California 17<sup>th</sup> Congressional District Representative Ro Khanna,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horetski |first=Dylan |date=Aug 13, 2025 |title=Congressman steps in after Roblox threatens to sue & bans “predator hunter” YouTuber Schlep |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/congressman-steps-in-after-roblox-threatens-to-sue-bans-predator-hunter-youtuber-schlep-3237759/ |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Dexerto |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250904095642/https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/congressman-steps-in-after-roblox-threatens-to-sue-bans-predator-hunter-youtuber-schlep-3237759/ |archive-date=4 Sep 2025}}</ref> and consumers promoted a hashtag #FreeSchlep in an attempt to get Schlep's account reinstated.<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://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954982451350008298 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154942/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954982451350008298 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=X}}</ref> The movement also received support from popular Roblox YouTuber KreekCraft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=KreekCraft on X: "Roblox Schlep situation" / X |url=https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/KreekCraft/status/1954215182311297365 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/kreek-craft-roblox-schlep-situation |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |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 |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=VKOYXcYmxow |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=YouTube}}</ref> Furthermore, Roblox outlawed vigilante groups on their platform,<ref name=":12" /> 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://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RoCatchers/status/1954221211581301201 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154952/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RoCatchers/status/1954221211581301201 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=X}}</ref> | ||
==="Condo" games=== | ==="Condo" games=== | ||
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Sexually explicit games on Roblox are often promoted on other platforms including discord where they are called "condo" servers. <ref>{{Cite web |author=Noize |date=2025-07-06 |title=Roblox and Discord Under Fire for Failing to Address Predator Communities |url=https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=GamingHQ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251010003804/https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |archive-date=10 Oct 2025}}</ref> These servers are often sexually explicit and accessible to minors. A youtuber by the name "Ruben sim " made a discord moderation bot called Ro-Cleaner which banned members from discord condo servers to mitigate child predation, but as of October 2025 this bot has been banned from discord due to Discord Moderators banning the bot which serviced more than 20,000 discord servers due to their claim that it violated discords TOS by discriminating based on "protected characteristics" in accordance with Discords community guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cubbins |first=Dwayne |date=2025-04-24 |title=Discord cites user profiling violations in shutdown of popular anti-predator bot |url=https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Tech Issues Today |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251024170946/https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=24 Oct 2025}}</ref> | Sexually explicit games on Roblox are often promoted on other platforms including discord where they are called "condo" servers. <ref>{{Cite web |author=Noize |date=2025-07-06 |title=Roblox and Discord Under Fire for Failing to Address Predator Communities |url=https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=GamingHQ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251010003804/https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |archive-date=10 Oct 2025}}</ref> These servers are often sexually explicit and accessible to minors. A youtuber by the name "Ruben sim " made a discord moderation bot called Ro-Cleaner which banned members from discord condo servers to mitigate child predation, but as of October 2025 this bot has been banned from discord due to Discord Moderators banning the bot which serviced more than 20,000 discord servers due to their claim that it violated discords TOS by discriminating based on "protected characteristics" in accordance with Discords community guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cubbins |first=Dwayne |date=2025-04-24 |title=Discord cites user profiling violations in shutdown of popular anti-predator bot |url=https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Tech Issues Today |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251024170946/https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=24 Oct 2025}}</ref> | ||
[[File: | [[File:Roblox adult game.png|thumb|alt=A picture of a Roblox game, with the name "Escape to Epstein Island"|An example of one of the mature games on Roblox that can be played by underage accounts.]] | ||
A sibling to the "condo" genre have been titles named after individuals known for sex trafficking, such as Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, these games were able to be easily accessed by underage users.<ref name=":5" /> | A sibling to the "condo" genre have been titles named after individuals known for sex trafficking, such as Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, these games were able to be easily accessed by underage users.<ref name=":5" /> | ||
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====CSAM communities==== | ====CSAM communities==== | ||
Some Roblox experiences have large communities that trade in child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and allow underage players to access them.<ref name=":5" /> Hindenburg reported that there are at least 38 of these groups which solicit CSAM as of 2024.<ref name=":5" /> One such group evaded moderation for at least 15 years by disguising itself as “''[ Content Deleted 19208 ]''”, with ID info stating that it formed in 2009.<ref name=":5" /> Moderation For Dummies reported the existence of at least 12,400 accounts which dabble in various levels of CSAM on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Sep 2, 2024 |title=Tweet from Mod For Dummies |url=https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155645/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref> | Some Roblox experiences have large communities that trade in child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and allow underage players to access them.<ref name=":5" /> Hindenburg reported that there are at least 38 of these groups which solicit CSAM as of 2024.<ref name=":5" /> One such group evaded moderation for at least 15 years by disguising itself as “''[ Content Deleted 19208 ]''”, with ID info stating that it formed in 2009.<ref name=":5" /> Moderation For Dummies reported the existence of at least 12,400 accounts which dabble in various levels of CSAM on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Sep 2, 2024 |title=Tweet from Mod For Dummies |url=https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155645/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref> | ||
==Lawsuits and 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 and 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-->== | ||