South Jersey family sues Roblox, Discord alleging child sexploitation on the social platforms

CAMDEN, N.J. (WPVI) -- A South Jersey mother and daughter filed a lawsuit in the Camden County Superior Court against Roblox Corporation, alleging the popular gaming platform facilitated the sexual exploitation of the now 14-year-old girl when she was just 11.

The complaint accuses Roblox and related platforms of creating an unsafe environment for children, claiming the girl was targeted by an adult posing as a child.

According to the family's attorney, Sara Beller of Dolman Law Group, the alleged abuse began on Roblox and later continued on Discord, a messaging platform, where graphic messages and sexual images were exchanged.

"Simply put, Roblox prioritizes profits over people," Beller said. "They prioritize growth over the safety and well-being of our children."

Roblox, which allows users to create avatars and interact in virtual spaces, is widely marketed toward children. The lawsuit alleges that the company misrepresents its safety protocols to parents and children, creating what Beller described as "a playground for pedophiles."

"This is a platform that's marketed toward children, and a lot of time and money goes into this public facade of creating this appearance that this is a safe place for children," she said.

As part of its investigation, Dolman Law Group claims to have uncovered disturbing Roblox "experiences" referencing pop culture and controversial figures, including games titled "Diddy Party," "Survive Diddy," "JeffEpsteinSupporter," and "Escape to Epstein Island."

In a statement to Action News, Roblox responded: "Safety is a top priority and we are continually innovating new safety features--over 100 this year alone--that protect our users and empower parents and caregivers with greater control and visibility."

Beller criticized the timing of the company's actions.

"They're unfortunately just now starting to take steps to institute some safety measures," she said. "Why has it taken so long for this company to act?"

The lawsuit seeks monetary compensation for the family and aims to push for systemic changes across platforms like Roblox and Discord. Beller said her client has suffered life-altering psychological and emotional injury and intrusive sexual ideation, among other damages.

"In addition to monetary compensation for our clients, we're really trying to force systemic change on these platforms," she said.

Action News reached out to Discord for comment, but did not receive a response.

In April, the state of New Jersey also filed a lawsuit against Discord over similar concerns.