Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is suing an online gaming company called Roblox.
Bird says as many as two out of three children between the ages of 9 and 12 have a Roblox account.
The lawsuit accuses Roblox of violating Iowa’s Consumer Protection law by claiming it is equipped with every precaution possible, while allowing adults to hide behind avatars and chat with children playing games online. The lawsuit cites a criminal case in Iowa.
Bird says Roblox created a breeding ground for sexual predators and she’s asking a judge to force Roblox to either provide more stringent safety measures to protect children or stop doing business in Iowa.
Roblox faces a growing number of lawsuits filed by government officials and parents who say their children were groomed and exploited by adults on the platform. The Roblox website says the company dedicates substantial resources to detect and prevent inappropriate content and online behavior and has installed 40 new features over the past year to protect children and upgrade parental controls.
