US senators have launched a formal investigation into the game creation platform Roblox citing concerns regarding child safety and the company’s focus on monetization. The inquiry is led by Senator Josh Hawley (R) and Senator Richard J. Durbin (D), who serve as chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism.

The Congressional Inquiry

In a letter addressed to Roblox CEO David Baszucki, the senators expressed concern that the platform, while marketed as a safe digital playground for children as young as five, has been linked to incidents of grooming, sexual abuse, and violence. The lawmakers pointed to the company's 2025 report of 65,381 suspected instances of child sexual exploitation submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children—a figure that more than doubled compared to the previous year.

The subcommittee has issued a list of "interrogatories" and document requests, with a deadline of August 31, 2026. The requested information includes:

  • Revenue data segmented by age group (from five-year-olds to adults 50 and older).
  • The percentage of users under 18 with parental oversight enabled.
  • Internal assessments regarding the financial impact of increasing "friction" on the platform, such as restricting in-game purchases for users under 13.
  • Details on the company's collaborations with Sesame Workshop, the NFL, and FIFA, including targeted age demographics.
  • Records detailing the number of human-assessed reports related to sexual exploitation and abuse from 2023 through 2025.

Roblox's Stance

Roblox has previously implemented features intended to address safety concerns, including facial age estimation technology and the prohibition of direct messaging for players under 13. In response to the investigation, Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman stated, "Roblox is built on the foundation of safety. We do not compromise on that commitment. We look forward to sharing the facts about how we work to protect children on the platform."

Current Status and Unknowns

While the investigation has set a firm deadline for document production, the long-term impact on the platform's services remains unknown. The inquiry is in the discovery phase, meaning the specific internal policies and financial assessments requested are not yet public. Whether these findings lead to legislative changes, mandatory platform restrictions, or policy shifts for developer-created experiences remains to be determined by the subcommittee's review.