Roblox’s Fall from Grace 

Roblox, once celebrated as a safe digital playground for children, now finds itself at the center of a huge scandal. The

controversy erupted when Schlep, a YouTuber known for exposing child predators on the platform, was banned and silenced by Roblox, despite being a survivor of child predation on Roblox himself, an experience that required years of therapy. Schlep received a cease and desist letter and was warned never to use the platform again. His parents, too, were allegedly pressured into silence.

Schlep, alongside fellow creator Jidion, collaborated with law enforcement to help arrest six online predators who were targeting minors through Roblox. Their efforts earned praise from agencies, but condemnation from Roblox, who labeled Schlep a “vigilante” and claimed his actions were dangerous to both the platform’s reputation and society at large. This controversy highlights a critical message for students that interact daily on the platform that seems safe: predators can hide in disguise behind friendly avatars and playful games to lure out any unsuspecting victims. Always stay vigilant while playing Roblox.

A $12 Billion Mistake

Roblox’s decision to ban Schlep sparked widespread outrage; it exposed their priorities. The company reportedly lost over $12 billion in stock value, and honestly? That’s on them. They could’ve worked with someone who was actually making the platform safer. Instead, they chose silence and suppression, which can be extremely infuriating for all devoted Roblox users, including myself.

Legal Action and Public Outrage

The state of Louisiana, followed by Congressman Ro Khanna, is suing Roblox for falsely marketing its platform as “safe.” Honestly, that claim is laughable at this point, since in a corporate meeting posted to X (formerly Twitter), Roblox tried to do damage control with vague policy changes, but conveniently avoided mentioning Schlep, the man who actually helped stop predators. That post somehow has mysteriously disappeared. No explanation, just gone for no apparent reason. Making matters worse, the company’s use of AI to sanitize background settings of their office? The AI usage became obvious when random fingers and texts from the CEO’s hand started disappearing and multiplying over the course of their live video. The filter was meant to block out any unnecessary people walking around them in their board of meeting from getting into view, showing complacency within the executives. Instead of rebuilding trust, they’ve made it clear they’re more interested in their reputation over safety.

Content Creators Exodus

When KreekCraft, one of Roblox’s biggest creators left the Star Creator Program, it wasn’t just a quiet exit; it was a statement. That program gave creators verified status, custom codes, and VIP access to Roblox’s biggest events such as RDC (Roblox Developers Conference.) His departure sparked a wave of creators jumping the roblox ship, and they’re certainly in their right to follow KreekCraft’s steps. If the people who helped build the platform don’t feel safe or respected, why should the rest of us?

Leadership Under Scrutiny 

Petitions to remove CEO David Baszucki have surpassed 150,000 signatures as of writing this. If you believe this mess could’ve been avoided, you should sign too. Critics on Reddit and X argue he has “ruined what Roblox was supposed to be.” Erik Cassel, the original founder, built Roblox on safety and community. After his passing, his close friend took over in his name, but somewhere along the way, that legacy was lost. Now it feels like growth metrics matter more than protecting the very kids who made Roblox what it is.  

Whistleblowers Within

Former Roblox employees have anonymously revealed that they were denied opportunities to implement stronger safety protocols. They had been promised changes on expanding moderation teams and better AI oversight, they were instead met with budget cuts and internal silencing from the top brass. One former manager disclosed that they were “told to prioritize growth metrics over child protection,” and when they resisted, “we were pushed out.” Roblox didn’t just ignore safety; they actively shut it down, and for what? More users? More money? These revelations suggest a company more concerned with infinite growth over reputation and their legacy. Why trust a company that shows little regard for their customers? Let alone workers that suggest improvements for user safety?

Controversial Policy Changes

As of September 5, 2025, Roblox is rolling out new age-based chat restrictions by the end of the year. And here’s the kicker: online dating is coming. A game built for children is now introducing dating features. This isn’t just tone-deaf but hysterical and reckless. Roblox used to ban any suggestion of dating to protect kids. Now they’re flipping the script and calling it “safety” while asking for a personal ID just to chat. That’s not protection; it’s surveillance dressed up as concern.

Legal and Cultural Pressure

Renowned lawyer Law by Mike released a video dissecting the legal implications of Roblox’s actions. And if that wasn’t enough, even Chris Hansen (yes, the  legend who built a career confronting predators) has come out of retirement to produce a documentary on the platform’s failures, urging reform and immediate action for David Baszucki to take.

Roblox’s scorched-earth tactics such as banning whistleblowers, rewriting chat systems, and demanding ID verification signals a shift from community driven safety to corporate control. The irony here is staggering: a platform built on creativity and connection now risks becoming a walled garden of surveillance and silence.

A Warning to Richmond Hill Students

To  those who play Roblox and consider trying this game out; DON’T! To those who are active be wary and should remain cautious whilst exploring the platform. If you encounter inappropriate behavior or sexual suggestions in chat:

• Report it immediately
• Leave the game
• Avoid off-platform engagement, especially through Discord
• Never share personal information, even with those you trust  

Speaking from experience of trying, popular games such as Murder Mystery 2, Neighbors, and Catalog Avatar, popular games that include voice chat where predators often hide behind friendly avatars, to lure unsuspecting victims in like a siren using its charm. What seems harmless can quickly become dangerous for you and your family.

Students at Richmond Hill High School are among the millions who are affected by these changes. Many use Roblox not just for entertainment, but as a social outlet, a creative space, and even a learning tool. With new chat restrictions and looming ID verification requirements, students are left confused and concerned. 

The fear isn’t just about losing access, it’s about losing trust within a once renounced corporation. “They’re trying to cover [themselves], Schelp didn’t do anything wrong,” senior Satesh said. “He even worked with law enforcement…they just want growth.” 

A few students even mentioned that there is a rampant growth of inappropriate behaviors occurring on the platform. “I saw condo games that allow inappropriate behaviors for minors….reporting it to the admins helps,” noted senior Adrian Santos. While junior Jasmine stated.“I had faced a friend saying inappropriate things…blocking and reporting her was necessary.” 

While Roblox has made efforts to improve safety, many students believe that it’s the parent’s responsibility to manage their children and not just roblox itself, since they are trying to a certain extent. As senior Arbass Mohammed highlighted, “Parents need to take responsibility, you cannot expect someone else to be a parent for your child.”

Closing Remarks

All this bad press is well deserved. Roblox knew this was a disease festering for years, an untreated tumor with unforeseen consequences they chose to actively ignore. The ramifications for kicking the can down the road has remerged and the alarm bells are sounding off. I play Roblox on a semi-regular basis, and have seen firsthand the unchecked rise of condo games and the disturbing behavior that hides behind friendly avatars. Communities justify online dating and inappropriate interactions on a children’s platform, and it’s utterly disgusting.

I’ve used Roblox’s broken moderation system countless times to target these games, users, and communities to be banned from the platform, all in the hopes to protect myself and others. But like many before me, my efforts have gone nowhere, and it’s exhausting not just physically but mentally, seeing all my efforts be for nothing. I despise seeing beloved childhood games morph into profit-driven platforms that ignore the very real dangers lurking within their social spaces. 

It has gotten to the point where for my own safety on interacting with people on the platform, I changed my settings so only trusted connections can only interact with me that I know personally on the platform, and spending my time on other games that actually encourage user safety than what Roblox claims. You cannot expect roblox or any other company to parent your child. If you’re letting your child freely roam online, you need to be actively involved and informed in their life and the world around them.

Please if you see suspicious behavior, report it. If you feel unsafe, log off. And if you’re wondering whether Roblox can recover from this ask yourself:

Can a company that punishes protectors ever truly protect everyone?

Sources & References

• Schlep catches predators on Roblox – YouTube
• Jidion & Schlep predator arrests – YouTube
• Schlep’s full channel archive – Contains all videos of law enforcement collaborations
• Law by Mike breaks down Roblox lawsuit – YouTube
• Is the Louisiana Attorney General suing Roblox? – djournal.com
• 120K Sign Petition to Remove Roblox CEO David Baszucki – Change.org
• 2025.07.30_Mood_Complaint (FINAL).docx – Lawsuit document (internal or hosted separately)
• Roblox Adds New Age Estimation Feature – MSN
• Roblox’s Safety Issues Continue To Get Called Out – Gameranx