Submitted 4 days ago by Pro@programming.dev to technology@lemmy.world
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/35786061
Can someone give me the out-of-the-loop on Roblox?
I understand that it’s an online gaming platform where there have been accusations of things being unsafe for kis. While bad, this is something that has happened before. Anything specific here that this is in the news so much, or just that it’s the biggest most current example?
The company was recently sued for creating a platform using almost exclusively child labor
The problem is while their target audience is kids, it is heavily monetized and created a market and economy around child created content. It is also impossible to moderate and became a cesspool of predators.
The game itself is comprised of an infinite number of mini games you can try, most of them created by children. Some of them are of a sexual nature and not safe for kids. This makes it really easy for a predator to set up environments where they can groom children.
The players can earn buy robux with real money and spend this to advertise the games they create, or buy customization items or game passes. They also earn robux when people play their games to incentivize them to create more content. Because of this the company is being sued for essentially child labor, where all their profits revolve around child created games
When I was younger I would also play modded games and create content. I dont think there’s anything wrong with that. But the fact that the game monetized it to such an extent is wrong in my opinion. With the predator problem as well it makes it a really unsafe playform for children. As a parent I would never let my children play this.
Thank you very much! I mentioned it to my oldest son (who is now in his twenties) a couple years ago because my youngest son (who is autistic) seemed like he might be interested in the game. He very emphatically said it wasn’t really what it looked like and that he would not recommend it. I didn’t ask for more details, but I guess I get it!
It’s free to play, meaning it’s literally the most popular game amongst kids, and if a pedo is banned they just make a new account. It has always been a problem and Roblox is under fire for A) their unwillingness to truly fight the problem and B) going after those who are (like in this article). Roblox also does shit like announce Roblox Dating where they very specifically in the PowerPoint slides state that it’s for users 17+. Not 18+. At this point the simplest explanation is that the Roblox creators/executives have a penchant for children themselves.
Thank you very much!
17+
Gross. Just, gross. I wouldn’t want to date a 20 year old still in highschool, why would I want to date a 17 year old? Like this isn’t hard to be not stupid.
From peoplemakegames: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gXlauRB1EQ and their follow-up video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTMF6xEiAaY
It’s gamified social media. Toxic and recommend not letting your kids use this despite strong social pressures.
Roblox needs to dramatically increase moderation, but calling it social media is not true.
It’s a game platform with a chat window in whatever game you are playing like every other online game starting with Doom in 1993.
kids didn’t bully eachother for not playing doom
I legitimately don’t know what Roblox is except supposedly a game… yet between kids yeeting thousands of dollars into it, becoming an obsessive black hole to them, and a place for predators I can’t help but to ask what kind of nightmare dystopia is it?
It’s basically a social platform + mod making platform + discord wrapped into 1 game, people have remade games like call of duty in roblox.
like it's possible yes, but ppl act like that means it is a great game engine that everyone should use, sure it's possible, but it's likely not any easier than using unity/unreal engine, s@box hopefully will take some of their base since you can eventually publish your own games without any fees.
… ugh… that sounds tedius.
I’m showing becoming an old man that I’m over here like “My favorite MMO allows me to play it solo and I’m here for the story.” Trying to shove everything else together sounds awful.
It reminds me of my teenage years of poking my head in secondlife.
Imagine being exposed as having a predator problem and doing anything but shutting that down.
www.roblox.com/games/1043451322/Shower-Simulator
Content Maturity: N/A
FenrirIII@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I have a young, female family member who was preyed on through Roblox. Discord is the next place they take you to and sink their claws in.
W3dd1e@lemmy.zip 3 days ago
My ex’s kid had exactly the same thing happen to him. It started on Roblox then moved to Discord.