VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A Volusia County woman is suing Roblox and Discord after she fell victim to a predator on the platforms as a child, according to court records obtained by News 6.
Per the lawsuit, the plaintiff — anonymously referred to as “Jane Doe” — was a minor at the time, and her father allowed her to use these platforms because he believed they were safe for children.
Recommended Videos
“(Doe’s) family learned the truth only after it was too late,” the lawsuit reads. “(Doe’s) parents discovered that Roblox and Discord had enabled a child predator to identify, groom, and coerce (Doe) into sending sexually explicit images and videos of herself.”
“Unbeknownst to our client and her parents, she was targeted on the game,” attorney Sarah London told News 6. “She believed she was talking to another 14-year-old.”
Roblox is a free-to-play online game that offers millions of different games (dubbed “experiences”) to users via the platform.
However, Doe claims that the platform was designed and marketed for children, and Roblox ultimately exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Although Roblox states that children must have parental permission before signing up for an account, nothing prevents them from creating their own accounts and playing on Roblox,” the lawsuit continues.
While Roblox now prevents adult accounts from directly messaging children under 13 years of age, it doesn’t prevent these children from creating accounts with fake birthdates to make them appear over that threshold.
In addition, Roblox sells an in-game currency called “Robux” that allow players to purchase premium digital content.
“Children frequently become obsessed with purchasing or otherwise obtaining Robux to buy items for their avatars and to spend in their favorite experiences on Roblox,” the lawsuit states. “In Roblox’s Avatar Store, for example, the company sells rare items at astronomical prices, such as a type of hair for an avatar, which children seek to purchase to keep up with or outdo their peers on Roblox. As a result, children often tell others, including strangers, that they will do ‘Anything for Robux.’”
An example of this issue popped up earlier this year after an Orange County middle school teacher was accused of coercing children into performing sex acts online in exchange for Robux.
And earlier this month, a 17-year-old was arrested in Marion County after deputies said he targeted children through Roblox to create child pornography.
In that case, deputies said the teen would establish a connection with his victims before moving the conversation over to Discord or text messaging.
“The design of (Roblox and Discord) makes children easy prey for pedophiles,” the lawsuit asserts. “They allow adult users to identify and readily initiate conversations with children, then manipulate the trust of those children.”
Beyond those features of the platform, the lawsuit also points out that users can use tools in the game to “make virtual sex videos between avatars on Roblox,” some of which have been featured on porn websites.
“Self-harm is just a hallmark of what happens to these kids,” London added. “They are embarrassed. They are full of shame. It’s incredibly scary for them.”
Due to all of these factors, Doe is accusing Roblox and Discord of the following:
- Fraudulent concealment and misrepresentation
- Negligent misrepresentation
- Negligence - General
- Negligence - Failure to warn
- Negligence - Unreasonable design
- Negligent undertaking
- Strict liability - Design defect
- Strict liability - Failure to warn
Now, Doe is seeking damages from Discord and Roblox for mental anguish, physical suffering, emotional distress, impaired earning ability, medical expenses, and attorneys’ fees, among others.
She’s not the only one trying to take these platforms to task, though; two weeks ago, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a subpoena to Roblox for information about how it markets to children.
In a release, AG officials said that there have been a myriad of reports regarding children being exposed to “graphic or harmful material” while using Roblox, as well as predatory adults messaging minors freely via the app.
“The platform develops some of the content, but much of the content is created by users,” the release reads. “In 2024, Roblox had more than 85 million daily active users, an estimated 40% of whom being under the age of 13.”
News 6 has attached a copy of the lawsuit to this story, which can be read below:
Filed Complaint 4.21.25 by Anthony Talcott on Scribd