People have been using the massively multiplayer online game Roblox to create virtual content and parents are worried that their kids are being exposed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxVjynSSCAo
Roblox takes place in a virtual world, and allows users to create their own games and locations, and it can actually be used to create some pretty cool content. This, for example, is the music video for Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” recreated in Roblox.
And one user recreated the game Star Wars Battlefront in Roblox.
But, since it’s so endlessly customizable, that’s led to some things that maybe aren’t so family-friendly. Some users have created sexually-explicit games within Roblox, with graphic content certainly inappropriate for the millions of Roblox players under 18.
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There’s no “Adult Section” of Roblox, so kids could easily wander from a playful game into some sort of Eyes Wide Shut party, and this stuff has been uploaded all over YouTube.
A search for “Roblox Sex” on YouTube yields literally over a million results, many of them truly bizarre to watch. YouTube’s Terms of Service specifically forbid graphic content, though their bots probably aren’t that great at censoring it. You know, given that they’re used to looking for actual naked bodies and not weird naked half-Lego creatures.
The ESRB gives Roblox a rating of “E” for Everyone – which actually means for ages 10 and up, and the Apple Store says Roblox is suitable for children age 12 and up, but there’s evidence that people significantly younger than that are on the game.
Amber Petersen said her daughter was not only exposed to nude characters on the game, but that other characters sexually assaulted her. She posted disturbing images to Facebook and said she questioned whether she would let her daughter have access to the iPad anymore. Petersen noted that she doesn’t blame Roblox specifically for what happened, and that when she reported the incident, Roblox quickly banned the users responsible.
She shared a link to Roblox’s Parent’s Guide, and said those who let their children play the game should make sure they understand the security settings. A spokesperson for Roblox confirmed that strong actions were taken after that incident was reported.
They said: “We have identified how this bad actor created the offending action and are putting additional safeguards in place to reduce the possibility of this happening again in the future. The player has been permanently banned from the platform, and the minigame in which the incident took place has been suspended.” And there are plenty of Roblox materials that seek to ensure the public that they take community safety seriously.
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Still, not every parent is going to be familiar with the security features and know everything their child is doing on Roblox. Australian mother Peggy was shocked to find her six-year-old daughter invited to a Roblox sex room. She said “Luckily, I was sitting next to her and noticed out of the corner of my eyes that one of the characters had breasts so it made me look closer.”
While Roblox may be vigilant about banning sex rooms from their game, your child won’t have to go any farther than YouTube to find a drugged-out Roblox sex party.
What do you think? Are Roblox sex videos on YouTube a big deal? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @WhatsTrending.
