Parents across the nation have initiated at least eight legal cases against the renowned world-building and gaming platform, Roblox, arguing that the app facilitates unmonitored contact from predators who can potentially groom and even abduct children.

The most recent lawsuit was filed this week following an incident involving a 10-year-old from California who was discovered miles from her home in May, with a 27-year-old man she met through Roblox. The man is now facing charges related to kidnapping and child sexual offenses.

In a related lawsuit, Roblox is described as a “digital hunting ground” for those with harmful intentions towards children. This particular lawsuit involves a 13-year-old girl from Iowa, who was allegedly taken from her grandmother’s residence and subjected to sexual abuse. The suspect, aged 37, reportedly pretended to be a teenager when communicating with the girl on Roblox, as stated by her family.

Additional lawsuits have emerged from families residing in Alabama, Florida, Indiana, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington, as noted by one law firm representing these families.

Titania Jordan, an executive from the content monitoring app Bark and author of “Parental Control,” emphasizes that while Roblox might initially appear to be a regular video game, its scope is much broader.

“Roblox isn’t just a standalone game,” Jordan explained. “It’s an expansive online platform with millions of user-generated environments where children can create, explore, and engage in real-time interactions. Its playful, block-like aesthetic gives the impression of safety and friendliness, but this can be deceptive in terms of actual security. Due to its vastness and encouragement of chat and social interaction, Roblox can feel like a virtual playground with very limited adult oversight.”

In many of the pending criminal cases and lawsuits, the alleged predators pretended to be minors themselves.

“They often join popular games, pick avatars and usernames that appeal to children, and start friendly conversations. Over time, they may try to earn trust by giving compliments, sharing interests, or even gifting in-game currency or rare items,” Jordan said.

Many of the lawsuits also name Discord, a messaging platform that some alleged predators use to communicate with the underaged victims they meet on Roblox.

“This case is horrifying, but it’s the natural consequence of how these platforms choose to operate,” said Alexandra Walsh, partner at law firm Anapol Weiss, in a press release announcing the latest filing. “Roblox and Discord know predators are exploiting children on their platforms.”

A Roblox spokesperson told Nexstar the company prioritizes safety on its platform and dedicates resources to content moderation and preventing inappropriate behavior.

“While no system is perfect, Roblox has implemented rigorous safeguards, including restrictions on sharing personal information, links, and user-to-user image sharing, and prohibiting sexual conversations,” the spokesperson said.

The company also pointed parents to Roblox’s family center, which can help them set up parental controls.

Jordan recommended parents take advantage of Roblox’s built-in safety tools by enabling parental controls and disabling chat features. “Especially for younger kids, turning off both in-game chat and direct messages can remove a major risk. Many grooming attempts start with simple chats asking for help or offering compliments to gain trust.”

Parents should also look out for warning signs that “something might be off,” she said, such as suddenly becoming more secretive or guarding their screens, not wanting to talk about or share what’s happening in a game, or receiving gifts or codes from “friends.”

Discord did not respond to Nexstar’s request for comment by publication time.