Copyright Everett Herald
EVERETT — Dolman Law Group filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Roblox Corporation and Discord, Inc. after a predator allegedly used those virtual platforms to sexually exploit a Snohomish County girl. The complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, where the corporations are headquartered, alleges that these online platforms created “breeding grounds” for predators and prioritized profit over child welfare, according to a press release. The complaint was filed on behalf of a 14-year-old girl and her father. In 2024, the victim allegedly encountered a male predator pretending to be a peer while using Roblox, an online platform where users can play or create their own games called “experiences,” the release said. This man allegedly began grooming the victim while encouraging her to continue their conversations on the communication platform, Discord, where the complaint alleges he sent the girl graphic messages and coerced her into sending sexually explicit images of herself. “This case against Roblox is a terrifying reminder of the world we live in, where capitalist greed far outweighs humanity,” said Matthew Dolman, principal of Dolman Law Group, in the release. “There have never been sufficient safety measures and protocols in place, putting our youngest and most vulnerable communities into unimaginable harm’s way every second of the day. Without forcing systemic change, Roblox will continue to operate anarchically.” Before this incident, the victim had been an avid Roblox user for years, the release said. The victim’s father, believing the corporations had proper safeguards in place, allowed his daughter to engage with these platforms. The complaint alleges the victim suffered intrusive thoughts, anxiety, feelings of humiliation, and a loss of safety and innocence from these events. “We are deeply troubled by any incident that endangers our users. Roblox’s vision is to be the safest platform on the internet, which is why our policies are purposely stricter than those found on many other platforms,” said Roblox spokesperson Stefanie Notaney in a statement provided to The Daily Herald in an email. “We limit chat for younger users, don’t allow the sharing of external images and have filters designed to block the sharing of personal information. We are continually innovating and investing in safety. While no system is perfect, this year alone we have made over 145 safety enhancements to help protect our users and empower parents and caregivers with greater control and visibility.” A Discord spokesperson said they do not comment on legal matters in an email Friday to The Daily Herald, but would comment on the platform’s safety policies. “Discord is deeply committed to safety, and we require all users to be at least 13 to use our platform,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We use a combination of advanced technology and trained safety teams to proactively find and remove content that violates our policies. We maintain strong systems to prevent the spread of sexual exploitation and grooming on our platform and also work with other technology companies and safety organizations to improve online safety across the internet.” The lawsuit alleges that these apps instill a false sense of child safety to parents when, in reality, they make minors “easy and accessible” to pedophiles, the release said. During Dolman Law Group’s internal investigation of Roblox, lawyers found multiple “experiences” based on pop-culture references with titles like “Diddy Party,” “Survive Diddy” and “Escape to Epstein Island.” According to the complaint, Roblox permitted more than 900 usernames with variations of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s name, like “JeffEpsteinSupporter,” whose account was allowed to engage with children’s games. The complaint also said Roblox historically marketed itself as the “#1 gaming site for kids and teens.” Over half of Roblox users are minors, with 20% of users listed as under 9 years old, according to Roblox’s 2024 annual report. Roblox averaged 82.9 million daily active users in 2024, and on average, users spent 2.4 hours per day on the platform. Roblox filters terms like “Snapchat” and “Discord” in an attempt to prevent off-app communication, but users can use emojis or spelling variations to bypass the filter, court documents said. The complaint alleges that since Roblox selectively blocks these words, they are aware of the danger yet allegedly choose not to block the loopholes. Discord’s Terms of Service prohibit users under 13, but the platform does not verify age or identity, court documents said. The complaint alleges that, as a result, minors can still access Discord and state their real age in “bios” on their profile or in chats. The complaint also alleges that minors can modify safety settings without parental approval. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages from Roblox and Discord for the harm caused by the grooming, manipulation and exploitation the victim experienced on these platforms, the release said.
