Roblox, the vibrant online gaming platform beloved by millions of children worldwide, is set to be scrutinised in a new documentary special titled Dangerous Games: Investigating Roblox, hosted by former To Catch a Predator presenter Chris Hansen. This investigative project emerges as Roblox confronts a series of legal challenges accusing the platform of inadequate child protection measures, particularly within its chat functions.
Platform Under Fire Amid Mounting Legal Pressure
Roblox, which boasts between 70 and 151 million daily active users, has recently implemented stricter age verification protocols in 2025 following widespread allegations of abuse and exploitation. Despite these efforts, the platform is currently entangled in several high-profile lawsuits. One notable case was filed on February 19 in Los Angeles County, where officials claim Roblox's age verification tools are ineffective and expose minors to predatory behaviour.
Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis stated, "Roblox has a responsibility to keep kids safe, but instead it has allowed its platform to become a place where children can be exposed to grooming and exploitation. Los Angeles County is taking action to hold the company accountable and demand real safeguards." Additionally, the Louisiana Department of Justice has launched its own lawsuit, with Attorney General Liz Murrill emphasising, "At the end of the day, Roblox must act as a responsible member of our community and do more to protect children."
Hansen's Return to Investigative Journalism
Chris Hansen, renowned for his work on the early 2000s NBC series To Catch a Predator, which exposed individuals attempting to solicit sex from minors, is now turning his attention to the digital realm. A trailer for Dangerous Games features a woman recounting how a 10-year-old was exploited by a "monster" on Roblox, highlighting the urgent concerns surrounding the platform.
Hansen has collaborated on this project with YouTuber and Roblox safety advocate Michael Schlep, who was removed from the platform and served with a cease-and-desist letter in August 2025. Roblox alleged that Schlep's simulated child endangerment conversations violated platform protocols and hindered existing safety measures. Schlep uses his online presence to raise awareness about child endangerment cases linked to Roblox, including a recent arrest in Louisiana where a 24-year-old man was accused of soliciting nudes from a teenage girl and encouraging self-harm.
Alarming Statistics and Real-World Incidents
According to Los Angeles County officials, more than 40 percent of Roblox users are under the age of 13, with nearly 75 percent of American children aged 9 to 12 using the platform regularly. These figures underscore the potential scale of the safety issues. In one distressing incident in Indiantown, Florida, two missing teenage sisters were found with a man they initially met on Roblox and later communicated with via Snapchat.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek commented, "Our deputies that were on scene realised what we were dealing with. We were dealing with a type of abduction. I know these girls went willingly, but their age suggested that they had been taken and were probably being removed from our area." The man, Hser Mu Lah Say, 19, of Omaha, Nebraska, was arrested and charged with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of interfering with child custody after sending gifts to the girls' home and driving to Florida.
Roblox's Safety Measures and Ongoing Criticisms
In response to growing concerns, Roblox has enhanced its child safety protocols, introducing age-verification video software to regulate access to private chats and requiring explicit parental permission for private chat functionality for users under 13. However, critics argue these measures are insufficient, as evidenced by the ongoing lawsuits and the platform's collaboration with Hansen's documentary.
Hansen's earlier programme, To Catch a Predator, was cancelled in 2007 after a Texas district attorney died by suicide in connection with one of the show's sting operations. The series has since faced criticism for allegedly creating entrapment scenarios and failing to follow proper legal procedures on air. With Dangerous Games, Hansen aims to shed light on the digital dangers facing children today, as Roblox continues to navigate a complex landscape of user safety, legal accountability, and public scrutiny.
