Louisiana Sues Roblox as Schlep Ban Fuels Safety Debate
BATON ROUGE, La. — August 14, 2025 — Roblox is facing external peril on two fronts: a lawsuit from the state of Louisiana and public backlash over its banning of a popular YouTuber who had been exposing predators on the platform. Combined, the cases raise tough questions about how effectively Roblox shields its youngest players.
The Lawsuit
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill sued, alleging that Roblox had left kids at increased risk of predators by breaking solid age checks and sidestepping parent consent. She described it as “the perfect place for pedophiles” and said the company prioritized profits over safe practice.
The complaint refers to real cases, such as that in Livingston Parish where a man was arrested after his use of voice-altering software transformed him into a teen girl in an effort to groom minors. Murrill is asking the court to prevent Roblox from saying its current protocols are sufficient and has raised the possibility of shutting down the platform.
Roblox disagrees. The company highlights investments in AI monitoring, aggressive content moderation and new age checks for teen video. It has reported 1,200 potential instances of child exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children earlier this year, it said.
The Schlep Ban
Meanwhile, Roblox is contending with anger over the way it treated Schlep, a YouTuber who has more than a million subscribers. Best known for organizing sting-type operations of would-be predators, Schlep says he has helped the police arrest six people.
Roblox shut him down, sending a cease-and-desist letter that said he was violating the rules by simulating child endangerment, directing users off-platform and sharing personal information. The company has said vigilante tactics are dangerous and interfere with its official reporting systems.
Fans and creators didn’t like that. The hashtags #FreeSchlep and #BoycottRoblox trended, and popular names including MoistCr1TiKal, JiDeon and KreekCraft lambasted the company. Some developers boycotted Roblox’s content programs over the issue.
Video of Schelp getting a Roblox Predator arrested on his Schelp's youtube channel
Bigger Names Step In
The smattering has drawn outside voices. Chris Hansen, who’s most widely known for the show To Catch a Predator, said he will be investigating Roblox with Schlep in tow. Meanwhile, Rep. Ro Khanna introduced a petition calling on the company to better protect minors on the platform.
The fallout has also hit Wall Street. Shares of Roblox fell more than 10 percent after news of the lawsuit and the ban surfaced.
A Wider Problem
The debate arrives against a grim backdrop. Reports of child pornography on Roblox have ballooned, with 675 in 2019 to over 24,000 in 2024, Wired reported. Even with new AI tools and verification systems, critics say predators continue to find ways in.
What’s Next
Louisiana’s case might just be the beginnng of something bigger. And as other states file their own lawsuits, Roblox — and any platform with lots of young users — could face a higher level of scrutiny.
For now, Roblox is insisting that its safety precautions are sufficient as parents, lawmakers and players wait to find out if they really are.
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