As of publication, more than 30 lawsuits have been filed against Roblox, with Anapol Weiss responsible for 11 thus far. These lawsuits allege serious negligence, with Roblox failing to implement critical safety measures that would prevent predators from interacting with (and later sexually abusing) children on the platform.
These cases are devastating and to help them move forward and secure the justice these families need, a petition has been filed with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to consolidate these federal lawsuits. The call for consolidation comes on the heels of a devastating case in which a teenage boy lost his life to suicide after being groomed and abused on the platform.
What Consolidation Means for Families Seeking Justice
The goal of consolidation is to avoid duplicate pretrial proceedings and instead, centralize the cases before one judge. Instead of having multiple proceedings, a singular court would hear all of the cases at once. Doing so not only streamlines the process but reduces the risk of conflicting rulings on the same issues.
Per Anapol Weiss shareholder Alexandra Walsh, “These cases against Roblox are remarkably and disturbingly similar. In almost every one, Roblox’s design allowed an adult predator to masquerade as a kid and groom and exploit an innocent child for deviant purposes. Consolidation is the most effective way to move these cases forward and address Roblox’s many systemic failures to protect our children.”
Roblox’s Response
The push for consolidation also follows a recent New York Times investigation that highlighted the extreme abuse that takes place on Roblox’s gaming platform. Ethan Dallas, a player on the platform, died by suicide at just 15 years old after years of being groomed and abused by a 33-year old predator. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Ethan, states that Roblox is directly responsible for his death.
Roblox has indicated that it will oppose the petition for consolidation. At this time, Roblox has moved to compel arbitration in the majority of lawsuits filed against them. “We really think that what they’re doing is morally suspect and definitely improper, legally,” Alexandra Walsh told Law.com. “A child cannot give informed consent to a forced arbitration provision. They don’t even know what arbitration means.” Fortunately, the Ending Forced Arbitration Act was passed in 2022 to give survivors and their families a way out of this corporate strategy.
Anapol Weiss is currently coordinating with families to meet with congressional representatives after the Senate Judiciary Committee revealed that it was examining the risks of AI chatbot use in children and allegations that Meta buried research about child safety.
If you or your child was groomed and sexually exploited while playing Roblox, you’re not in this fight alone. Our attorneys will investigate what happened and hold Roblox accountable. Contact us today at 215-608-9645 for a confidential consultation. We’re here for you.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.
