The Guardian Investigation (November 2025)
The Guardian this week reported on a disturbing undercover investigation where a journalist spent one week on Roblox posing as an 8-year-old child. Even with parental controls enabled, the experience included:
What Happened in Just 7 Days:
- Sexual harassment – Avatar sat on her face simulating sexual acts while she asked them to stop
- Cyberbullying – Constant appearance-based harassment in chat
- Physical assault – Repeatedly beaten and killed in games
- Pay-to-harass features – Players paying real money to throw virtual feces at others
- Hypersexualized avatars – 8-year-old character had prominent breasts, high heels, thigh gaps
- Hidden disturbing content – “Meat room” resembling uterus, missing women storylines in kids’ games
- Gambling mechanics – Casino games accessible to children rated 5+
- Easy signup – Just a checkbox claiming parental permission, no verification
The Bigger Picture: Roblox Safety Crisis Timeline
2024 Bloomberg Investigation (July)
At least 24 people arrested in the US since 2018 for abducting or sexually abusing children they met on Roblox
- 7 arrests in just 13 months prior to the report
- Predators using Robux (in-game currency) to groom children
- Dark web forums sharing tips on evading Roblox chat filters
2024 Hindenburg Research Report (October)
- Called Roblox “an X-rated pedophile hellscape, exposing children to grooming, pornography, violent content and extremely abusive speech”
- Stock fell 15% after company announced revenue changes to expand child safety
2025 Ongoing Legal Action
- Reports to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children exploded from 675 incidents in 2019 to over 24,000 in 2024
- FBI tracking roughly 250 open cases tied to predator network “764”
- Florida, Kentucky, and Louisiana attorneys general launched investigations
- Over 30 lawsuits now filed against Roblox for negligence
- Class action lawsuit alleges Roblox violates children’s privacy laws by creating “audio fingerprints” to track users
2025 Countries Banning Roblox
Algeria (September), Kuwait, and Qatar banned the platform over child safety concerns
- Turkey banned it in August 2024 citing content enabling child abuse
Company Response: Too Little, Too Late?
November 2024 Safety Updates
Roblox announced major changes effective Q1 2025:
- Users under 13 can no longer directly message others outside games by default
- Parents can now access parental controls from their own devices, not just child’s account
- Remote monitoring of child’s screen time and friends list
- Users under 13 banned from “social hangout” games
April 2025 Additional Updates
Parents can now limit who children interact with and view/restrict which games they play most
But Major Gaps Remain:
- Takes less than 60 seconds to create account with no name or email required
- No parental consent verification required under COPPA
- Up to 50,000 messages crossing Roblox systems at any moment
- BBC found ways to bypass safety controls by rewording prohibited requests
Critical Stats Parents Must Know
Platform Size:
- 100 million+ daily active users (November 2025)
- Around 40% are under age 13
- In 2023: 21% aged under 9, 21% aged 9-12, 16% aged 13-16 (total 58% under 16)
- Australian children average 137 minutes daily on platform
The Money Machine:
- $92 billion company (market value)
- CEO David Baszucki owns ~10% of stock
- Keeps minimum 30% of all transactions
- Median developer payout: just $1,400 (2024-25)
- Professor Marcus Carter calls it “child labor” disguised as creative play
Safety Ratings Show Disconnect:
- ESRB rates Roblox “T for Teen” with “Diverse Content: Discretion Advised”
- PEGI changed rating from “7 and over” to “Parental Guidance Recommended” in 2022
- Yet individual games like “Dress to Impress” rated suitable for ages 5+
What This Means For Parents: Your Action Plan
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Have “The Talk” Tonight
- Discuss what happened in The Guardian investigation
- Ask: “Has anyone made you uncomfortable online?”
- Emphasize: “You won’t get in trouble for telling me”
- Children must know which trusted adult they can go to if they’re in trouble
2. Review Settings NOW
- Log into YOUR OWN Roblox parent account (not child’s device)
- Enable ALL restrictions under Parental Controls:
- Disable direct messaging (default for under-13 since November 2024)
- Set account PIN so child can’t change settings
- Limit who can chat with them in-app
- Set strict spending limits on Robux
- Enable screen time limits
- Restrict unrated games
- Review and approve friends list
3. Investigate What They’re Actually Playing
- Play games yourself for a few weeks before allowing child access
- Check game ratings (not just overall platform rating)
- Watch for:
- Casino/gambling mechanics
- “Social hangout” spaces
- Games with private chat rooms
- “Pay to troll” features
- Overly sexualized avatars
4. Set Clear Rules
- No private conversations with strangers – period
- Never share personal information (name, school, location, age)
- Never move conversations off Roblox to Discord, Snapchat, etc.
- Report uncomfortable interactions immediately
- Play in shared family spaces only, not bedroom
5. Consider Co-Playing
- Youngest children: Play together 100% of time
- Ages 8-10: Co-play frequently, spot-check constantly
- Ages 11-12: Regular check-ins, open device policy
- Show genuine interest – they’ll share anything you want to know
FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION:
The Robux Problem:
- Children don’t understand real money ↔ virtual currency conversion
- Games designed by venture capital firms to maximize spending
- “Loot boxes” = gambling mechanics marketed to kids
- Professor Carter spent 3 weeks unsuccessfully trying to get refund for 12-year-old’s illegal loot box purchase
Your Defense:
- Set $0 spending limit (yes, zero)
- Require approval for ANY purchases
- Explain real-world costs: “That $20 skin = 2 hours of work”
- Review credit card statements weekly
GAMES TO ESPECIALLY WATCH:
High-Risk Red Flags:
- “Dress to Impress” – Despite 6 billion visits, includes:
- Hypersexualized avatars for children
- Pay-to-harass features (throwing feces)
- Hidden “meat room” and missing women storylines
- Constant appearance-based judgment
- Casino/Gambling games – Readily available despite age restrictions
- “Social Hangouts” – Now restricted to 13+ but were major grooming zones
- Horror games rated 5+ – Like “Suffer” with disturbing content
- Games with “VIP” paid areas – Often less moderated
SAFETY RED FLAGS TO DISCUSS:
Teach your child these are NEVER okay:
- Anyone asking to move conversation to Discord/Snapchat/text
- Anyone asking for photos, especially without clothes
- Anyone offering free Robux or gifts
- Anyone asking about their school, home, or location
- Anyone wanting to meet in real life
- Anyone asking them to keep secrets from parents
- Anyone making them feel scared, uncomfortable, or “special”
THE DISCORD DANGER:
Critical Warning: Predators regularly move conversations from Roblox to Discord to avoid detection
- Discord has less moderation than Roblox
- Predator network “764” used Roblox + Discord to groom children
- Rolling Stone found majority of users in sexual game “work” communities were under 15
Your rule: If your child has Discord, you need full access to their account
Expert Perspectives You Need to Hear
From Law Enforcement:
FBI San Antonio’s Alex Doran: “I always use this example that you would never take your 15 or 16-year-old child to a bar at 2 a.m. and drop them off. But if you give them unfettered access to the internet, that is 10 times worse than doing that.”
From Child Development:
Dr. Michael Rich, pediatrician and director of Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital: “It finally comes down to the parents’ understanding and judgment of how well their child takes responsibility and respect for themselves and others in that space.”
From Roblox CEO:
David Baszucki told BBC: “My first message would be, if you’re not comfortable, don’t let your kids be on Roblox. That sounds a little counter-intuitive, but I would always trust parents to make their own decisions.”
Translation: Even the CEO admits this platform isn’t safe for all children.
The Hard Questions You Need to Ask Yourself
Before Allowing Roblox:
- Is my child mature enough to recognize grooming behavior?
- Can I commit to active, ongoing supervision?
- Am I prepared for 137 minutes/day of oversight?
- Does my child understand online stranger danger?
- Will they tell me if something feels wrong?
- Can they resist peer pressure to spend money?
- Do they have strong offline friendships and activities?
Ongoing Assessment:
- Has their behavior changed since starting Roblox?
- Are they secretive about their gaming?
- Do they resist when I ask to see what they’re playing?
- Are they spending increasing amounts of money?
- Have their sleep patterns changed?
- Are they more anxious or withdrawn?
Alternative Options
If You’re Not Comfortable With Roblox:
Creative Alternatives:
- Minecraft (with private servers only)
- Nintendo Switch games with friends-only online
- Cooperative family board games
- Outdoor activities and sports
- Art, music, or coding classes
- Youth groups and clubs
The Reality:
- Your child will feel FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
- Peer pressure will be intense
- They may feel socially isolated initially
- But: Their safety is more important than fitting in
If You Choose to Allow Roblox: Non-Negotiable Rules
The Minimum Safety Standards:
- You have full access to their account, passwords, and friends list
- Open device policy – you can check any time without warning
- Shared space gaming – no playing alone in bedroom
- All parental controls enabled at maximum settings
- Zero private messaging with anyone they don’t know in real life
- Pre-approved games only – you research and test first
- Spending limits set to $0 or very low amount
- Regular conversations about their experiences
- Immediate reporting of uncomfortable situations
- Right to revoke if rules broken or concerns arise
Your Weekly Checklist:
- Review their recently played games
- Check their friends list for new additions
- Review chat logs if accessible
- Ask: “Anything weird happen this week?”
- Spot-check them playing
- Verify parental controls still enabled
- Review any spending
The Bottom Line: Your Child, Your Choice
What I Tell Every Parent:
Roblox CAN be safe – but only with constant, active parental involvement.
Think of it like a massive, unsupervised playground where:
- Anyone can walk in anonymously
- Some areas have explicit content
- Predators actively hunt for victims
- Bullying is monetized
- Gambling is normalized
- Your child’s every move is tracked
- And oh yes – it’s designed to extract maximum money from them
Would you drop your 8-year-old there for 2+ hours daily?
The Three Paths Forward:
1. Complete Ban
- Safest option
- Requires managing social fallout
- Need alternative activities ready
2. Heavily Restricted Use
- Maximum parental controls
- Co-playing only
- Pre-approved games
- Requires significant time investment
- Regular reassessment
3. Monitored Freedom (Ages 13+)
- Clear rules and consequences
- Trust but verify approach
- Open communication essential
- Must demonstrate maturity first
Resources for Parents
If Your Child Has Been Harmed:
- Report to Roblox: support.roblox.com
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: CyberTipline.org
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov
- Consider consulting with legal counsel specializing in online exploitation
For More Information:
- Roblox parental controls guide: Roblox.com/parents
- eSafety Commissioner (Australia): esafety.gov.au
- Common Sense Media reviews: commonsensemedia.org
Signs Your Child May Have Been Groomed:
- Secretive about online activities
- New “friend” they talk about constantly
- Receiving gifts or money
- Withdrawn from family
- Defensive when asked about gaming
- Age-inappropriate knowledge about sex
- Deleting messages/clearing history
- Meeting up with people you don’t know
If you notice these signs, act immediately. Don’t wait.
Final Thoughts as a Digital Parenting Expert
The Guardian investigation isn’t revealing anything new – it’s confirming what researchers, law enforcement, and child safety advocates have been screaming about for years.
Incidents reported to authorities increased from 675 in 2019 to over 24,000 in 2024. That’s not better detection – that’s an epidemic.
Your child’s safety isn’t Roblox’s priority – profit is. Their business model depends on children spending maximum time and money on the platform. Every safety measure they’ve implemented came only after:
- Media exposés
- Criminal arrests
- Attorney general investigations
- Massive public pressure
Don’t wait for another Guardian investigation. Don’t become a statistic in next year’s report.
You are your child’s best defense.
The tools exist. The information is here. The choice is yours.
What will you do today?
Last Updated: November 2025 Next Review: Review this plan weekly as the situation evolves
Remember: The best way to keep children safe is to help them identify inappropriate behavior themselves and teach them how to deal with it. This requires parents to be patient, persistent, and open. This isn’t a single discussion – it’s an ongoing conversation..
