NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has filed a lawsuit against the online gaming platform Roblox, alleging the company puts children at risk while promoting itself to parents as a safe and family-friendly space.
In announcing the lawsuit, Skrmetti sharply criticized Roblox’s practices, arguing the platform attracts young users into an environment the company knows can be dangerous. The lawsuit claims Roblox’s conduct violates the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act by misleading parents about the level of safety offered to children.
Roblox is a user-generated gaming platform that allows players to create characters, explore virtual worlds, and communicate with other users in real time. The platform is especially popular among minors.
According to Roblox’s most recent annual report for 2024–2025, the company reports roughly 83 million daily active users. More than half of those users are under 17 years old, with about 40 percent under the age of 13 and approximately 20 percent younger than nine.
Some parents say those numbers raise serious concerns.
Nashville mother and real estate agent Alicia Vermiglio allows her two young daughters to play Roblox but says the platform’s chat features worry her the most.
She explained that with so many chat rooms and interactions happening at once, she questions how the company can realistically monitor conversations. While she closely supervises her children and sets strict rules for app use, she remains uneasy about who may be communicating with them online.
Vermiglio said she makes it clear to her children that Roblox should not be used as a way to form friendships with strangers.
To better understand the platform, FOX 17 News reporter Madeleine Nolan downloaded Roblox and created an account herself. During the sign-up process, she was asked to enter a birthdate and choose a username. An email address and government-issued identification were not required to access the platform.
Although Roblox prompted a facial scan as part of its age-verification process, the reporter was able to enter the game without providing formal identification. The system also estimated her age incorrectly, placing her in an older age range than her actual age.
The lawsuit highlights concerns over how Roblox verifies users’ ages and identities, arguing that children can gain access with limited safeguards in place.
Roblox has denied the allegations, saying the lawsuit misrepresents how the platform functions. In a statement, the company said it actively monitors harmful content, restricts image sharing in chats, cooperates with law enforcement, and continues to introduce new safety tools, including tighter controls over messaging.
After FOX 17 News shared the story online, parents across Middle Tennessee shared mixed reactions.
Some said they have removed Roblox from their homes entirely due to concerns about strangers contacting their children. Others said the platform requires constant supervision and is difficult to fully monitor. A number of parents also said deleting the app led to noticeable improvements in their child’s behavior or mental health.
The lawsuit remains ongoing. The Attorney General’s office says it is seeking changes to how Roblox operates, while the company maintains it will continue expanding safety measures on the platform.