Lawsuit claims wildly popular apps are negligent in providing safeguards for children, creating breeding grounds for predators
SAN MATEO, CA (July 18, 2025) – A shocking lawsuit has been filed against Roblox Corporation and Discord, Inc. (Defendants) following heinous sexual acts committed against a minor, which it claims were fostered and facilitated by the California-based app giants. Filed on July 17, 2025, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Mateo – where Roblox is headquartered – Dolman Law Group alleges the corporations are accountable for creating a breeding ground for predators and enabling the sexual exploitation of an 11-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe R.M. (Plaintiff) of Miami-Dade County, FL, in the 104-page filing.
At the time she was victimized, 11-year-old Jane Doe R.M. was an avid user of both Roblox and Discord, two wildly popular apps amongst minors. Roblox, an app marketed for children that boasts over 380 million active monthly users, allows users to create interactive gaming “experiences” within its ecosystem while allowing and encouraging users to communicate with one another. Discord, marketed as “great for playing games and chilling with friends,” provides an alternative communication channel for Roblox communities, where users move their interactions to the app with chat, voice, video, photo and text messaging capabilities.
Believing there were proper safeguards in place, Jane Doe R.M.’s mother – like millions of parents across the globe – allowed Jane Doe R.M. to use the apps, trusting Roblox and Discord’s representations of child safety. During her daughter’s usage of the apps, she unknowingly encountered a dangerous child predator who began grooming Jane Doe R.M. Eventually gaining her trust, the predator escalated his manipulations and encouraged Jane Doe R.M. to meet in person. Traveling from Orlando to Sebring, FL, in April 2022, the predator drove to Jane Doe R.M.’s grandfather’s house and lured her into his vehicle. The two drove to a nearby neighborhood where he violently raped and forced her to orally copulate him, causing inconceivable trauma, harm and devastation. The predator was subsequently convicted of his violent crimes.
“As a parent, this case is a terrifying reminder of the world we live in where capitalist greed far outweighs humanity,” said Matthew Dolman, Principal of the Florida-based Dolman Law Group. “In allowing apps of these kinds to operate with virtually no restrictions, monitoring or age verification processes in place, we open ‘worlds’ designed for children to depraved individuals with unimaginable intentions and all the resources at their fingertips.”
The lawsuit alleges through pervasive misrepresentations about safety, the apps instill an unfounded sense of safety in parents when, in reality, the design of their platforms makes children easy and accessible prey for pedophiles. Lauded as the “#1 gaming site for kids and teens,” Roblox is the “most downloaded online game globally” where “the average user spends 139 minutes a day on the app.” Within the “digital playground,” the lawsuit cites, Roblox hosts and promotes graphic and sexually explicit content, with numerous reports of children’s avatars being raped by other users’ avatars, avatars engaging in sexual activities in “condo games,” as well as simulating sex acts in virtual bathrooms and strip clubs. Through Dolman Law Group’s investigation, the lawsuit also uncovers an alarming pop-culture connection with Roblox “experiences” mirroring some of the most disturbing allegations of privileged notables’ sex trafficking minors, with hundreds of “games” titled such as “Diddy Party,” “Survive Diddy,” “JeffEpsteinSupporter” and “Escape to Epstein Island.”
The filing alleges that Roblox is fully aware of these “experiences” and does nothing to stop them, playing a direct role in enabling a culture where sexual exploitation is normalized in the underdeveloped and impressionable minds of children. With the ability to control and eliminate these heinous threats, Roblox prioritizes growing its number of users – therefore its profits – over child safety and protecting our most vulnerable communities.
The Plaintiff’s lawsuit seeks an action of unspecified monetary damages from the Defendants for suffering profound life-altering injuries, including, but not limited to, emotional distress, psychological trauma, severe anxiety and depression. The lawsuit also notes the child’s heartbreaking loss of innocence, and everlasting sentiments of shame, fear and humiliation.
Media requests can be directed through Dolman Law Group by contacting Sean Martin at (617) 756-7474 (smartin@regancomm.com) or Lindsay Rotondi at (617) 594-9938 (lrotondi@regancomm.com).
