States secure $23M from Roblox, mandate stricter protections for young users: 'The right thing to do'

Roblox has agreed to sweeping platform overhauls and more than $23 million in combined settlements with the states of Alabama and West Virginia following investigations into the gaming platform's child safety failures.

The settlements, both announced by the states' attorneys general on Tuesday, mandate strict new safeguards designed to protect minors from online predators and inappropriate content.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who secured a $12.2 million settlement that ensures 100% of the funds will stay in the state, told FOX Business the negotiations had a twofold purpose of implementing structural changes to the platform to increase child safety and parental controls and securing monetary resources to enhance School Resource Officer (SRO) programs throughout Alabama.

"If you're a platform online that is directing your efforts toward children as consumers, then that platform has a responsibility to ensure the safety of those young people," Marshall said. "Whether they believe they were legally responsible or not, it's simply the right thing to do."

ROBLOX CEO SAYS CHILD SAFETY IS INDUSTRY-WIDE ISSUE, PLANS TOOLS TO KEEP BAD ACTORS OFF PLATFORM

He added that the focus was less about long-term harm and more about looking into the future.

"The ability to obtain significant changes within the platform as a result of these settlement agreements not only enhances the safety of young people using the platform, but I think (it) creates a framework for similarly situated companies," Marshall said. 

"I think it's a template for other states around the country to do something similar."

ROBLOX CEO INSISTS PLATFORM IS SAFE FOR CHILDREN DESPITE LAWSUITS OVER ONLINE PREDATORS

The agreement also grants parents expanded controls, allowing them to restrict "Robux" in-game currency transfers from adults who are not trusted connections.

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey similarly announced an $11.08 million settlement with the gaming giant on Tuesday, noting that his state's investigation found Roblox's previous safety designs exposed young users to grooming, sexual predators and violent content. 

McCuskey said West Virginia is heavily reinvesting its settlement payout into dedicated state safety efforts, including $2.4 million over six years to hire a West Virginia-based internet safety specialist to coordinate with local law enforcement, according to a news release.

The state will also spend $1.5 million on a three-year public safety campaign and $500,000 on safety education workshops for parents and children.

LOUISIANA SUES ONLINE GAMING PLATFORM ROBLOX FOR ALLEGEDLY ENABLING CHILD PREDATORS

Despite the multimillion-dollar payouts and state investigations, Roblox CEO Dave Baszucki defended the platform earlier this month during an exclusive interview with "Fox & Friends'" co-host Ainsley Earhardt.

Rejecting accusations that the platform is a playground for pedophiles, Baszucki framed the recent overhauls as a continuation of Roblox's proactive commitment to setting a "global gold standard" for digital safety. 

He emphasized that Roblox builds in safety features "by default" ahead of legal requirements, strictly prohibits image sharing and filters all chat communications.

"Roblox is proud to have worked collaboratively with Attorney General McCuskey to reach this agreement, which builds on our ongoing mission to establish the gold standard for digital safety," Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman wrote in a statement to FOX Business. 

"This resolution — including our support for parent educational workshops and a dedicated law enforcement liaison — serves as an important blueprint for how the technology industry and regulators can work together proactively to help protect the next generation.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

"We have no finish line when it comes to safety," Kaufman added. "We will continue to invest heavily in our people, processes and technology to protect our community."

McCuskey's office did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.