Florida issues criminal subpoenas to Roblox over child safety

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued criminal subpoenas to Roblox Corporation on October 20, 2025, launching an investigation into whether the gaming platform's actions enable predators to access and harm children. The subpoenas, filed in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial Circuit in Leon County, require the company to produce extensive documentation by December 20, 2025.

The legal action targets Roblox's verification systems, content moderation practices, and reporting procedures. According to the subpoena documents, multiple investigations have revealed that sexual predators exploit Roblox to access, communicate with, and groom minors. The state alleges the platform has shown negligence in adequately verifying users' ages and has experienced failures in content moderation that allow sexually explicit material to evade filters and circulate within the platform.

"Platforms like Roblox have become breeding grounds for predators to gain access to our kids," Uthmeier stated in the official announcement. "We will stop at nothing in the fight to protect Florida's children, and companies that expose them to harm will be held accountable."

The investigation covers a specific timeframe from January 2021 through the subpoena response date. Florida prosecutors demand documents describing requirements, processes, and criteria for creating new user accounts on the platform, including age and identity verification procedures, consent mechanisms for minors, terms of service and user agreements, parental or guardian authorization procedures, and automated or manual review processes used to validate new account registrations.

Subpoena number 2025-0909 demands the identification and description of every child account registered on the platform indicative of the account holder being in Florida. This includes the user's age range, the date of account creation, any other accounts linked to the same user or household, IP address used to create the account, geographic location of the account, and whether the account remains currently active.

Florida prosecutors seek all exemplars, drafts, and final versions of marketing, promotional, or advertising materials whether digital, print, audiovisual, or otherwise that reference, depict, or concern the platform's suitability, safety, or appropriateness for minors or child users. This includes representations made to parents, guardians, or the public regarding age-appropriate content or parental controls.

The subpoena demands documents relating to the marketing of the platform to children. Prosecutors want internal planning documents, reports, or analyses involving promotions, giveaways, social media campaigns, celebrity or influencer endorsements, partnerships, use of cartoon imagery, music, or color schemes designed to appeal to children. The state also seeks data-driven marketing practices involving surveillance, targeting, or behavioral personalization directed toward minors.

Reports suggest predators utilize the platform's in-game currency, Robux, to bribe minors into sending sexually explicit images of themselves. Victims have accused Roblox of knowingly failing to implement meaningful safety measures or provide adequate warnings to parents about the dangers their children face, while publicly maintaining that the platform is safe for young users.

Florida demands documentation of all policies, procedures, and technical safeguards implemented to prevent children from being exposed to mature, explicit, or otherwise age-inappropriate content on the platform. Prosecutors want documents supporting any statements, representations, or claims made in marketing or public-facing materials that suggest or imply the platform is "safe for all ages," "child-friendly," or otherwise suitable for children.

The investigation examines how Roblox handles reports of child exploitation. The subpoena demands a list identifying each report submitted through the platform's reporting mechanisms or other internal systems by a user or parent alleging abuse, exploitation, grooming, endangerment, or other child safety violations. The list must include the date received, the nature of the allegation, the account or username involved, any internal reference or case number assigned, and the disposition or status of each report.

Florida prosecutors want lists identifying each instance where a user or parent alleged abuse, exploitation, grooming, endangerment, or other child safety violations and submitted written or verbal notice to Roblox Corporation and where the notice was then submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Florida Abuse Hotline, the National Human Trafficking Hotline, or the Florida Human Trafficking Hotline.

Further reports indicate that Roblox has knowingly failed to report incidents of child victimization to the proper authorities. The state demands documents reflecting the total number of accounts, broken down by month, that Roblox has removed from the platform from January 2021 until September 2025 due to child safety issues.

Prosecutors seek documents sufficient to describe parental control features available on the platform, including their operation, scope, limitations, and methods by which minors may circumvent or disable such features. The state wants documents sufficient to describe the design, operation, and functionality of chat moderation, content moderation, and reporting systems on the platform, including human and automated review processes.

The subpoena demands documents sufficient to identify employees or contractors responsible for developing, implementing, or enforcing age verification, content moderation, and child safety protocols. This includes names, job titles, employment dates, and supervisory reporting structure.

Florida wants documents sufficient to describe the categories of personal information collected, stored, or processed about minors using the platform, including the purposes for which such data is used. The investigation seeks documents sufficient to describe moderation procedures, enforcement protocols, and safety guardrails used to detect, prevent, or remove inappropriate or harmful content or users.

The state seeks documentation of any pending or concluded litigation, administrative action, or regulatory proceeding since January 2021 relating to the safety of minors or child protection issues involving the platform or any account user located in Florida.

Electronic data preservation requirements mandate that Roblox must discontinue all data destruction and overwriting or recycling processes of relevant data. The company must preserve passwords, decryption procedures and accompanying software, access codes, and ID codes. Roblox must maintain all pertinent information and tools needed to access, review, and reconstruct all requested or potentially relevant electronic data.

The subpoena instructs that responsive documents existing in electronic format shall be provided in native format. Microsoft Word files must be provided as .doc files, Outlook emails as .pst files, and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets as .xls files. The list of reports shall be provided in native Excel format. The database format will be requested for production after both parties agree on the format.

Native files should be provided in directories which are identifiable as responsive to a specific document request. All documents produced in native form should be produced on CDROM, DVDROM, External USB, or other similar drive media of a type that can be read by any standard computer. Unless otherwise agreed to, standard metadata in electronically stored information shall be preserved and produced, such as custodian, to, from, CC, BCC, dates and times sent, received and modified, attachments, links, and document types.

The investigation timeline matters for digital marketers because Roblox has significantly expanded its advertising partnerships while facing scrutiny over child safety. Louisiana sued Roblox in August 2025 over similar allegations of inadequate child protection measures while the company accelerated advertising integrations.

Roblox opened video ads to all brands in May 2024, creating opportunities for marketers to reach its 71.5 million daily active users. The platform partnered with PubMatic for programmatic video advertising in April 2024, expanding automated ad buying capabilities. Google expanded its advertising partnership with Roblox in August 2025 through rewarded video advertising, with nearly 100 publishers integrating the system.

The Florida investigation raises questions about brand safety for companies advertising on platforms with significant underage user populations. Marketing professionals must evaluate whether association with gaming platforms through advertising partnerships aligns with corporate social responsibility standards when detailed allegations of child exploitation emerge from multiple state attorneys general.

Roblox partnered with the International Age Rating Coalition in September 2025 to implement enhanced content ratings. That partnership arrived as the platform faced increased regulatory scrutiny. The timing demonstrates platform attempts to address safety concerns while maintaining advertising revenue growth that reached $1,080.7 million in the second quarter of 2025, representing 21 percent year-over-year growth.

The Florida subpoena arrives as Generation Z comprises more than half of Roblox's daily active user base. This demographic concentration attracts marketers seeking to reach younger audiences through immersive platform environments. The platform reported 82.9 million daily active users, with approximately 20 percent under nine years old.

Roblox launched a licensing platform in July 2025 featuring partnerships with Netflix, Lionsgate, Sega, and Kodansha for intellectual property integration. These collaborations expand branded content opportunities while the platform faces legal challenges regarding child protection.

The investigation examines whether the company prioritized user growth and revenue over child safety measures. Prosecutors want documents relating to the marketing of the platform to children, including internal planning documents, reports, or analyses involving promotions, giveaways, social media campaigns, celebrity or influencer endorsements, and partnerships designed to appeal to children.

Florida demands all documents supporting any statements that suggest the platform is "safe for all ages" or "child-friendly." The state wants all documents sufficient to describe parental control features available on the platform, including methods by which minors may circumvent or disable such features.

The subpoena requires Roblox to produce documents sufficient to identify any pending or concluded litigation, administrative action, or regulatory proceeding since January 2021 relating to the safety of minors or child protection issues involving the platform or any account user located in Florida. This requirement suggests the investigation may uncover patterns of safety failures across multiple jurisdictions.

Prosecutors demand documentation of chat moderation, content moderation, and reporting systems on the platform, including human and automated review processes. The state seeks documents sufficient to describe moderation procedures, enforcement protocols, and safety guardrails used to detect, prevent, or remove inappropriate or harmful content or users.

The investigation focuses on how the platform handles reports of exploitation. Florida wants a comprehensive list of every report submitted through Roblox's reporting mechanisms alleging abuse, exploitation, grooming, endangerment, or other child safety violations. The list must detail the date received, the nature of the allegation, the account or username involved, any internal reference or case number assigned, and the disposition or status of each report.

The subpoena defines exploitation as using, coercing, or manipulating or attempting to use, coerce, or manipulate a minor in the production of sexually explicit material or child sexual abuse material, distributing, possessing or transmitting child sexual abuse material, or engaging in online "enticement" or grooming with sexual intent.

Florida defines grooming as patterns of communication or conduct directed to a minor that includes building trust or an emotional connection with a minor, desensitizing the minor to sexual content or advances, isolating or manipulating a minor to prepare for abuse or exploitation, explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual activity, sexual conduct, or sexual excitement or is intended to seduce, solicit, lure or entice a child.

The state defines safety issues as events or communications relating to child exploitation, kidnapping, child predators, child endangerment, child pornography, addictive use, human trafficking, child sexual abuse material, material harmful to children, or illegal activity.

The investigation targets documents sufficient to describe the categories of personal information collected, stored, or processed about minors using the platform, including the purposes for which such data is used. Prosecutors want all documents relating to the marketing of the platform to children, including data-driven marketing practices involving surveillance, targeting, or behavioral personalization directed toward minors.

Florida's action follows broader scrutiny of social media and gaming platforms regarding child safety. The investigation examines whether platforms adequately protect minors while pursuing advertising revenue growth. Digital advertising technology developments in 2024 and 2025 have enabled increasingly sophisticated audience targeting capabilities, including demographic segmentation that allows advertisers to reach specific age groups.

The subpoena instructs Roblox that if the total cost of supplying records will exceed 200 dollars, the company must contact the designated prosecutor before proceeding. Documents responsive to each request should be segregated and specifically identified to indicate clearly the particular numbered request to which they are responsive.

Florida law permits recipients of subpoenas duces tecum to receive payment for directly incurred costs which are reasonably necessary to search for, reproduce, or transport records to comply with the subpoena. This payment is limited to the total amount of personnel time spent locating and retrieving documents or information requested by the subpoena.

The investigation carries implications for how gaming platforms balance revenue generation with child protection responsibilities. Companies must implement meaningful safety measures while providing adequate warnings to parents about potential dangers. The Florida investigation suggests state authorities increasingly scrutinize whether platforms' public safety claims align with actual practices.

Timeline

• January 2021: Investigation timeframe begins for document requests
• April 2024: Roblox partners with PubMatic for programmatic video advertising capabilities
• May 2024: Roblox opens video ads to all brands on platform
• July 2025: Roblox launches licensing platform with Netflix, Lionsgate, Sega, and Kodansha
• August 2025: Louisiana files lawsuit against Roblox alleging child safety failures
• August 2025: Roblox expands Google advertising partnership with rewarded video launch
• September 2025: Roblox partners with International Age Rating Coalition for enhanced content ratings
• October 20, 2025: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issues criminal subpoenas to Roblox Corporation
• December 20, 2025: Response deadline for subpoena compliance

Summary

Who: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued criminal subpoenas to Roblox Corporation, targeting the company's legal department in San Mateo, California, and its registered agent Corporation Service Company in Tallahassee, Florida.

What: The subpoenas demand extensive documentation covering user verification systems, content moderation practices, marketing materials targeting children, parental controls, reporting mechanisms for child exploitation, and the company's response to safety violations from January 2021 through the response date.

When: The subpoenas were issued on October 20, 2025, with a response deadline of December 20, 2025. The investigation examines Roblox's practices and records from January 2021 through September 2025.

Where: The subpoenas were filed in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial Circuit in Leon County, Florida, and specifically target child accounts and safety incidents involving Florida residents on the Roblox platform.

Why: The investigation examines whether Roblox's actions, or lack thereof, enable predators to access and harm children. Multiple investigations revealed that sexual predators exploit the platform to access, communicate with, and groom minors, with allegations including inadequate age verification, content moderation failures allowing sexually explicit material to circulate, use of in-game currency to bribe minors, and failures to report child victimization incidents to proper authorities.