US Senate Launches Investigation Into Roblox Over Child Safety Concerns

The United States Senate has opened an investigation into Roblox over concerns that the gaming platform may have prioritised revenue and user engagement over the safety of children.

The bipartisan investigation was launched by Senators Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, and Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, who lead the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism. The lawmakers are examining allegations surrounding child exploitation, abuse and the platform’s safety practices.

In a letter to Roblox founder and CEO David Baszucki, the senators raised concerns about the platform’s accessibility to young children and allegations that it has been used for grooming, sexual exploitation, kidnapping and other forms of abuse.

The lawmakers questioned whether Roblox has done enough to prevent predators from using the platform to target children and whether its business model has influenced decisions about safety measures.

They are seeking documents and information relating to child safety, child sexual and physical abuse, bullying and financial exploitation on the platform. Roblox has been given until August 31, 2026, to respond to the congressional inquiry.

The investigation comes amid increasing scrutiny of Roblox from US authorities, parents and child-safety advocates. Several states have previously taken legal or investigative action against the company over allegations that children have been exposed to predators and inappropriate content.

The senators said the concerns warranted congressional scrutiny, particularly because Roblox markets itself as a platform used by children as young as five.

Roblox, however, has rejected the suggestion that it puts profits ahead of child safety. The company’s Chief Safety Officer, Matt Kaufman, said Roblox is built around safety and that the company does not compromise that commitment for profit. He added that the company would cooperate with the Senate investigation and provide information about its safety measures.

The investigation could place additional pressure on Roblox as the company faces growing demands for stronger age verification, parental controls, content moderation and protections against adults attempting to exploit minors on the platform.

For Roblox, the Senate inquiry represents a significant escalation in the scrutiny surrounding its approach to child protection. The investigation will now seek to establish whether the company’s existing safeguards are sufficient and whether its business practices have contributed to risks faced by children using the platform.

The findings could also influence the wider debate in Washington over how social media, gaming and online platforms should protect minors while operating commercially.

At this stage, the Senate investigation consists of allegations and requests for information; it does not establish that Roblox itself committed or knowingly facilitated criminal conduct. The company will have an opportunity to respond to the lawmakers’ concerns as the inquiry progresses.