The state of Tennessee has taken legal action against the online gaming platform Roblox, accusing it of misleading consumers about the safety of its environment for children. Announced by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, the lawsuit charges the company with prioritizing profits over the protection of young users, in violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. Skrmetti has likened Roblox to a "digital equivalent of a creepy cargo van lingering at the edge of a playground," according to a press release issued by his office yesterday.
The legal complaint suggests that Roblox betrayed the trust of families by inviting children into what it represented as a creative and playful online world while selling access to these minors to "sophisticated predators." Skrmetti pointed out that despite being aware of the serious risks, the company implemented measures to decrease oversight and child safety resources. His office accuses Roblox of consistently claiming that safety was its top priority, while their actions suggested otherwise, which, "because less oversight meant more profit."
Founding and Managing Member J. Gerard Stranch, IV of the Nashville-based law firm Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, PLLC, is collaborating with the Attorney General's Office on this complex litigation. Stranch conveyed his firm's commitment to safeguarding families in Tennessee by standing with the Attorney General in the legal battle. He stated, "Roblox has had nearly 20 years to fix these obvious safety flaws. Instead, they have chosen to profit from a system that monetizes the very interactions that put children at risk by ignoring these very serious flaws in the platform."
