US senators open a child safety investigation into Roblox

Two US senators have opened an investigation into how Roblox handles child safety on its platform. Senators Josh Hawley and Dick Durbin, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, have written to Roblox founder and chief executive David Baszucki asking for documents on the company's safety systems. The letter was first reported by Politico.

In it, the senators question whether the company's business goals have been placed ahead of protecting children. "Roblox appears to prioritize revenue and engagement metrics over the safety and well-being of our children, and the alleged criminal activity on Roblox warrants congressional scrutiny," they wrote, according to Dexerto's report.

What the senators have asked for

Baszucki has been asked to supply documents explaining how Roblox handles child safety, sexual and physical abuse, bullying and the financial exploitation of minors, and has been directed to preserve all records connected to those subjects. The letter cites several high-profile cases involving adults who allegedly met children through Roblox before committing what the senators described as serious acts of violence and harm.

Roblox chief safety officer Matt Kaufman defended the company's approach in response. "Roblox is built on the foundation of safety. We do not compromise on that commitment," he said. "We look forward to sharing the facts about how we work to protect children on the platform."

The wider scrutiny

The investigation follows sustained pressure on Roblox over how it manages communication between minors and adults, with earlier lawsuits and investigations accusing the company of failing to prevent grooming, exploitation and access to inappropriate content. Roblox has defended its systems throughout and introduced changes in response, including an age check before users can access chat, and dedicated Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts that restrict which experiences under-16s can reach.

Roblox has until August 31 to respond to the senators' requests.