In 2025, Roblox reported 65,381 instances of suspected child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That figure is more than double what the platform reported the year before. This week, the US Senate decided it had seen enough.
Senators Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, have formally opened an investigation into child safety on the Roblox gaming platform. In a letter sent directly to CEO David Baszucki, the pair wrote: “Children on your platform are hurting. Congress will not look the other way.”
What the Senate Is Investigating
The investigation — a bipartisan effort, notably — centres on allegations that Roblox has repeatedly prioritised revenue and engagement metrics over the safety of the children who use it. Hawley and Durbin’s letter describes a platform that has allegedly been used to trade child sexual abuse material, to conduct sexually explicit virtual experiences with minors, and to lure children into in-person meetings.
“Over the past decade, police have arrested numerous individuals for committing serious acts of violence and harm against children they met via Roblox, including grooming, sexual abuse, kidnapping, rape, and even murder.”
— Senate Judiciary Subcommittee letter, August 2026
Roblox has been directed to preserve all records relating to child safety, abuse, bullying, and financial exploitation of minors. The platform has until 31 August 2026 to produce the documents and information specified in the letter’s accompanying annex.
A Year of Escalating Pressure on Roblox
The Senate probe is the latest development in what has been an extraordinarily turbulent period for Roblox. The platform has faced lawsuits from state attorneys general in Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee, as well as legal action from LA County, Australia, and the UK, all relating to alleged systemic child safety failures. A class-action lawsuit led by Ohio’s Attorney General was filed just last week.
Within the company, the response has ranged from defensive to bewildering. CEO David Baszucki said in 2025 that Roblox’s safety problem was “not just a problem, but an opportunity” — a comment that generated considerable backlash. He also publicly floated the idea of Roblox becoming a dating hub, a suggestion that landed poorly given the platform’s ongoing legal exposure. At one point, Baszucki told concerned parents simply: “Don’t let your kids be on Roblox.”
Context: Roblox reports its 2025 CSAM figure actually reflects improved detection systems — not necessarily a rise in incidents. Senators dispute that framing.
Roblox has also taken some genuine steps. The platform has tightened restrictions on unrated content, introduced age estimation checks, and rolled out limited account types to keep younger users away from inappropriate material. These measures have earned cautious praise in some corners, including from the US Attorney General — though clearly not from Hawley and Durbin.
What Roblox Says and What Comes Next
Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer, told reporters that the platform “is built on the foundation of safety” and that the company “does not compromise on that commitment.” He said Roblox looks forward to sharing the facts about how it protects children and welcomed the chance to respond.
That response is due by the end of August. Whether documents and answers satisfy the subcommittee — or become the basis for a public hearing with executives testifying under oath — remains to be seen. The Senate Judiciary Committee has in the past negotiated with tech companies over exactly that question.
For the 380 million monthly active users on Roblox — many of them children — the senate investigation signals that the pressure on the platform to properly safeguard its youngest players is no longer something Congress is willing to leave to corporate discretion alone.
