Hawley, Durbin Launch Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse on Roblox

Hawley, Durbin Launch Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse on Roblox

Thursday, August 13, 2026

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sent a letter to Roblox Founder, President, CEO, and Chair of the Board of Directors David Baszucki, informing him that the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism opened an investigation into Roblox. In the letter, Senator Hawley and Senator Durbin called attention to explicit content present on the platform, as well as its connection to real world child abuse. This investigation is only the latest in the series of actions Senator Hawley and Senator Durbin have taken to protect children online, including their STOP CSAM Act passing out of committee unanimously.

They began, "We write to inform you that the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism has opened an investigation into child safety on the Roblox gaming platform."

They continued, "You trumpet Roblox as a safe digital playground for children as young as five. But the public recordraises serious questions about this promise of safety. Over the past decade, police have arrested numerous individuals for committing serious acts of violence and harm against children they met via Roblox, including grooming, sexual abuse, kidnapping, rape, and even murder. Roblox is being used to trade child sexual abuse material, participate in sexually explicit (and often violent) virtual 'experiences' with children, bribe and extort children into producing explicit content, and lure children into in-person meetings. It is heartbreaking. In 2025, Roblox reported 65,381 instances of suspected child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children-more than double what it reported in 2024."

"Roblox appears to prioritize revenue and engagement metrics over the safety and well-being of our children, and the alleged criminal activity on Roblox warrants congressional scrutiny. Accordingly, be advised that Roblox is hereby directed to preserve all records, in any format and wherever located, in connection with child safety, child sexual or physical abuse, child bullying, or child financial exploitation … Let us be clear: children on your platform are hurting. Congress will not look the other way. We await your prompt and complete response," they concluded.

Read the full letter here or below.

August 12, 2026

David Baszucki
Founder, President, CEO, and Chair of the Board of Directors
Roblox Corp.
3150 South Delaware Street
San Mateo, California 94403

Mr. Baszucki:

We write to inform you that the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism has opened an investigation into child safety on the Roblox gaming platform.

You trumpet Roblox as a safe digital playground for children as young as five. But the public recordraises serious questions about this promise of safety. Over the past decade, police have arrested numerous individuals for committing serious acts of violence and harm against children they met via Roblox, including grooming, sexual abuse, kidnapping, rape, and even murder. Roblox is being used to trade child sexual abuse material, participate in sexually explicit (and often violent) virtual "experiences" with children, bribe and extort children into producing explicit content, and lure children into in-person meetings. It is heartbreaking. In 2025, Roblox reported 65,381 instances of suspected child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children-more than double what it reported in 2024.

Roblox appears to prioritize revenue and engagement metrics over the safety and well-being of our children, and the alleged criminal activity on Roblox warrants congressional scrutiny. Accordingly, be advised that Roblox is hereby directed to preserve all records, in any format and wherever located, in connection with child safety, child sexual or physical abuse, child bullying, or child financial exploitation. We also attach an annex containing document requests and interrogatories. Please produce all documents and information specified in the annex no later than August 31, 2026.

Let us be clear: children on your platform are hurting. Congress will not look the other way. We await your prompt and complete response.

Sincerely,

Josh Hawley
Chairman
Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism

Richard J. Durbin
Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism

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