Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Rockstar Games

2026-03-16T19:11:23Z

ChaoticDev: /* Products */

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=American video game publisher known for Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption.
|Founded=1998
|Industry=Video Games
|Logo=Rockstar Games Logo.svg
|ParentCompany=Take-Two Interactive
|Type=Subsidiary
|Website=https://www.rockstargames.com/
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Rockstar_Games|Rockstar Games, Inc]].''' is an American video-game publisher based in New York City. It is known for action-adventure game franchises such as ''Grand Theft Auto'' and ''Red Dead Redemption.''

== Consumer-impact summary ==
{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the company's conduct regarding (if applicable):
* User freedom
* User privacy
* Business model
* Market control}}

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Rockstar - GTA The Definitive Trilogy===
{{Incomplete section}}

===GTA 4 content removal===
Licensing for some songs in ''GTA 4'' have run out, and updates to the game have been removing content after purchase.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-18 |title=Music Updates in Grand Theft Auto IV, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony |url=https://support.rockstargames.com/articles/360001005308/Music-Updates-in-Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-The-Lost-and-Damned-and-The-Ballad-of-Gay-Tony |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.ph/MHBy0 |archive-date=2025-04-02 |access-date=2025-04-02 |work=Rockstar Games Support}}</ref> A list of removed songs can be found here<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gtaforums.com/topic/908139-iv-song-removal-due-to-licenses-expiring/|title=IV Song Removal Due to Licenses expiring.|date=2018-04-18|author=edups|work=GTAForums|access-date=2025-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321070236/https://gtaforums.com/topic/908139-iv-song-removal-due-to-licenses-expiring/|archive-date=2025-03-21|url-status=live}}</ref> and here.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/8f4crm/the_update_for_gta_4_removes_songs_from_the/|title=The update for GTA 4 removes songs from the ingame radio stations. Here is the list of songs removed|author=u/TransAmConnor|work=Reddit|date=2018-04-26|access-date=2025-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429055804/https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/8f4crm/the_update_for_gta_4_removes_songs_from_the/|archive-date=2018-04-29|url-status=live}}</ref> Players who purchased a physical disk copy can enjoy the full soundtrack but cannot update without losing content.

===GTA 5 move to kernel-level anti-cheat on PC after purchase===
{{Main|GTA 5 moves to kernel-level anti-cheat on PC after purchase}}
On September 17, 2024 (11 years after release), Rockstar implemented a controversial update that included a more invasive and dangerous kernel-mode anti-cheat made by BattlEye. This update retroactively restricted GTA Online usage to the Windows operating system, despite previously being fully functional on other operating systems like Linux and SteamOS. Despite the BattleEye anti-cheat being Linux compatible with minimal effort, Rockstar still chose to not support the operating system, hence leaving buyers without the product they paid for.

Due to the BattleEye anti-cheat being a requirement to run GTA V, if a customer decides not to install it they won't be able to sign in to the Rockstar Launcher even if they wish to play singleplayer. There are workarounds for this, such as using offline mode on Steam, but the game requires you to activate its license by logging in to Rockstar Launcher atleast once when you install it and about every week you will need to reactivate this license to continue playing the singleplayer mode.

===Rockstar prevents borrowing games on Steam===
While many publishers permit Steam Family Sharing, a feature that allows users to share their game libraries with other accounts, Rockstar does not allow it.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=3 January 2026 |title=Family Sharing Not Allowed By Rockstar Games |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1g553ov/is_there_a_way_to_play_gta_5_on_family_sharing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/sDACa |archive-date=3 January 2026 |access-date=3 January 2026}}</ref>

===Rockstar forces arbitration agreement after the sale (2025)===
As of March 28, 2025, Rockstar Games Launcher is now forcing customers to accept the current terms and conditions which were updated February 28th, 2025. This includes an arbitration agreement that may only be opted out of using a letter delivered via official mail courier services.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=28 Feb 2025 |title=Rockstar Legal |url=https://www.rockstargames.com/legal |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260211134609/https://www.rockstargames.com/legal |archive-date=11 Feb 2026|access-date=3 January 2026}}</ref> This affects owners of any games through the Rockstar Games Launcher as well as Steam users who own games that require it's use and completely blocks them from using the products they paid for until they agree.

== Products ==

=== Grand Theft Auto: ===
* Grand Theft Auto London 1969 (1999)
* Grand Theft Auto London 1961 (1999)
* Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
* Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
* Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
* Grand Theft Auto Advance (2004)
* Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2005)
* Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005)
* Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006)
* Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
* Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
* Grand Theft Auto VI (upcoming, planned for 2026)

=== L.A. Noire: ===
* L.A. Noire (2011)

== See also ==

* [[Electronic Arts]]
* [[Ubisoft]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Take-Two Interactive]]

User:ChaoticDev

2026-03-16T19:04:47Z

ChaoticDev: Created page with "People cannot always be trusted. == Contributed Pages == * Disboard * Rockstar Games"

People cannot always be trusted.

== Contributed Pages ==

* [[Disboard]]
* [[Rockstar Games]]

Disboard

2026-03-16T18:58:02Z

ChaoticDev: /* Incidents */

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2018
|Industry=Social media service
|Logo=Disboard--Logo.png
|Type=Private
|Website=https://disboard.org/
}}
{{Stub}}
Disboard is a public Discord server list that allows users to share Discord server invites using their Discord bot. Through the Disboard bot users can make invites for their server and "bump" the server on Disboards server list.

==Consumer-impact summary==
===User Freedom===
* Users have to follow Discords Terms of Service.<ref name="Guidelines">https://disboard.org/site/guidelines</ref>
* Users have to follow their local laws.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Users cannot use swear words or NSFW content in server profile pictures, descriptions or names.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Automated use of the Disboard server is disallowed, which includes using alt accounts.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Disboard decides on the removal of servers that are empty or are redirects to other servers. This decision making includes the decision on what is considered a content lacking server.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* NSFW servers have to be tagged NSFW on the invite page.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Rewarding users for bumping your server or leaving reviews is disallowed.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>

===User Privacy===
* Disboard does not sell any data related to users according to their Terms of Service.<ref name="TOS">https://disboard.org/site/tos</ref>
* Collected data includes: All user activity on Disboard and information returned by Discords API, which includes things like profile pictures and account names. E-mail addresses are however not saved by the service.<ref name="TOS"></ref>
* Disboard does not contact users about changes to the Terms of Service, stating that users need to keep track of the TOS changes themselves.<ref name="TOS"></ref>
* Disboard follows through with "The right to restrict processing" requests and with "The right to erasure" related requests.<ref name="TOS"></ref>

===Business Model===
* Disboard makes money through selling advertisement spots on their websites.<ref name="TOS"></ref>

===Market Control===

* Disboard has plenty of competitors and as such does not have total market control.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in.
===Server listings for CSAM servers (2021-2023)===
From 2021 to 2023 Disboard had a platform-wide moderation problem related to listings for servers advertising or containing CSAM content. During this time period, search queries related to either adult material or to CSAM slang would return pages upon pages of servers all with the same names and server icons that all contained CSAM.

On the 14th of January, 2023, the YouTuber known as iamLucid made a video covering the CSAM listings, using info from a documented handed to him by an anonymous fan.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ANZU4liRQU</ref> A couple of weeks after his video went live his video had gained over a million views, but more importantly, the server listings users had been complaining to Disboard about for years were quickly all removed and blocked. With no servers like them popping up after iamLucid's video.

The document in question was created by two Disboard users with the screen-name "Evan" and "Joe". According to them, they had contacted the Disboard moderators in 2022 and reported their findings. To which the moderators responded by saying they were working on the issue. Until iamLucids viral video, obvious violations like the "taboo" and "S2R" tags were not dealt with. Even though these violations were reported dozens of times to Disboard.<ref name="Document">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t3h4hS1D6-YpXMaYQbWxcVk8VXq675aHTiO8soAP6NI</ref>

Whilst these server listings were on Disboard, the company gained ad revenue from people taking a look at said listings. With these servers having hundreds of members joining per hour through Disboard.<ref name="Document"></ref>

==Products==
* Disboard.org server list.

==See also==
* [[Discord]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Disboard

2026-03-16T11:29:10Z

ChaoticDev:

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2018
|Industry=Social media service
|Logo=Disboard--Logo.png
|Type=Private
|Website=https://disboard.org/
}}
{{Stub}}
Disboard is a public Discord server list that allows users to share Discord server invites using their Discord bot. Through the Disboard bot users can make invites for their server and "bump" the server on Disboards server list.

==Consumer-impact summary==
===User Freedom===
* Users have to follow Discords Terms of Service.<ref name="Guidelines">https://disboard.org/site/guidelines</ref>
* Users have to follow their local laws.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Users cannot use swear words or NSFW content in server profile pictures, descriptions or names.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Automated use of the Disboard server is disallowed, which includes using alt accounts.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Disboard decides on the removal of servers that are empty or are redirects to other servers. This decision making includes the decision on what is considered a content lacking server.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* NSFW servers have to be tagged NSFW on the invite page.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Rewarding users for bumping your server or leaving reviews is disallowed.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>

===User Privacy===
* Disboard does not sell any data related to users according to their Terms of Service.<ref name="TOS">https://disboard.org/site/tos</ref>
* Collected data includes: All user activity on Disboard and information returned by Discords API, which includes things like profile pictures and account names. E-mail addresses are however not saved by the service.<ref name="TOS"></ref>
* Disboard does not contact users about changes to the Terms of Service, stating that users need to keep track of the TOS changes themselves.<ref name="TOS"></ref>
* Disboard follows through with "The right to restrict processing" requests and with "The right to erasure" related requests.<ref name="TOS"></ref>

===Business Model===
* Disboard makes money through selling advertisement spots on their websites.<ref name="TOS"></ref>

===Market Control===

* Disboard has plenty of competitors and as such does not have total market control.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Server listings for CSAM servers (2021-2023)===
From 2021 to 2023 Disboard had a platform-wide moderation problem related to listings for servers advertising or containing CSAM content. During this time period, search queries related to either adult material or to CSAM slang would return pages upon pages of servers all with the same names and server icons that all contained CSAM.

On the 14th of January, 2023, the YouTuber known as iamLucid made a video covering the CSAM listings, using info from a documented handed to him by an anonymous fan.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ANZU4liRQU</ref> A couple of weeks after his video went live his video had gained over a million views, but more importantly, the server listings users had been complaining to Disboard about for years were quickly all removed and blocked. With no servers like them popping up after iamLucid's video.

The document in question was created by two Disboard users with the screen-name "Evan" and "Joe". According to them, they had contacted the Disboard moderators in 2022 and reported their findings. To which the moderators responded by saying they were working on the issue. Until iamLucids viral video, obvious violations like the "taboo" and "S2R" tags were not dealt with. Even though these violations were reported dozens of times to Disboard.<ref name="Document">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t3h4hS1D6-YpXMaYQbWxcVk8VXq675aHTiO8soAP6NI</ref>

Whilst these server listings were on Disboard, the company gained ad revenue from people taking a look at said listings. With these servers having hundreds of members joining per hour through Disboard.<ref name="Document"></ref>

==Products==
* Disboard.org server list.

==See also==
* [[Discord]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Disboard

2026-03-16T11:26:56Z

ChaoticDev:

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2018
|Industry=Social media service
|Logo=Disboard--Logo.png
|Type=Private
|Website=https://disboard.org/
}}
{{Stub}}
Disboard is a public Discord server list that allows users to share Discord server invites using their Discord bot. Through the Disboard bot users can make invites for their server and "bump" the server on Disboards server list.

==Consumer-impact summary==
===User Freedom===
* Users have to follow Discords Terms of Service.<ref name="Guidelines">https://disboard.org/site/guidelines</ref>
* Users have to follow their local laws.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Users cannot use swear words or NSFW content in server profile pictures, descriptions or names.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Automated use of the Disboard server is disallowed, which includes using alt accounts.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Disboard decides on the removal of servers that are empty or are redirects to other servers. This decision making includes the decision on what is considered a content lacking server.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* NSFW servers have to be tagged NSFW on the invite page.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>
* Rewarding users for bumping your server or leaving reviews is disallowed.<ref name="Guidelines"></ref>

===User Privacy===
* Disboard does not sell any data related to users according to their Terms of Service.<ref name="TOS">https://disboard.org/site/tos</ref>
* Collected data includes: All user activity on Disboard and information returned by Discords API, which includes things like profile pictures and account names. E-mail addresses are however not saved by the service.<ref name="TOS"></ref>
* Disboard does not contact users about changes to the Terms of Service, stating that users need to keep track of the TOS changes themselves.<ref name="TOS"></ref>
* Disboard follows through with "The right to restrict processing" requests and with "The right to erasure" related requests.<ref name="TOS"></ref>

===Business Model===
* Disboard makes money through selling advertisement spots on their websites.<ref name="TOS"></ref>

===Market Control===

* Disboard has plenty of competitors and as such does not have total market control.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Server listings for CSAM servers (2021-2023)===
From 2021 to 2023 Disboard had a platform-wide moderation problem related to listings for servers advertising or containing CSAM content. During this time period, search queries related to either adult material or to CSAM slang would return pages upon pages of servers all with the same names and server icons that all contained CSAM.

On the 14th of January, 2023, the YouTuber known as iamLucid made a video covering the CSAM listings, using info from a documented handed to him by an anonymous fan.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ANZU4liRQU</ref> A couple of weeks after his video went live his video had gained over a million views, but more importantly, the server listings users had been complaining to Disboard about for years were quickly all removed and blocked. With no servers like them popping up after iamLucid's video.

The document in question was created by two Disboard users with the screen-name "Evan" and "Joe". According to them, they had contacted the Disboard moderators in 2022 and reported their findings. To which the moderators responded by saying they were working on the issue. Until iamLucids viral video, obvious violations like the "taboo" and "S2R" tags were not dealt with. Even though these violations were reported dozens of times to Disboard.<ref name"Document">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t3h4hS1D6-YpXMaYQbWxcVk8VXq675aHTiO8soAP6NI</ref>

Whilst these server listings were on Disboard, the company gained ad revenue from people taking a look at said listings. With these servers having hundreds of members joining per hour through Disboard.<ref>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t3h4hS1D6-YpXMaYQbWxcVk8VXq675aHTiO8soAP6NI</ref>

==Products==
* Disboard.org server list.

==See also==
* [[Discord]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Disboard

2026-03-16T10:34:25Z

ChaoticDev: Created page with "{{CompanyCargo |Founded=2018 |Industry=Social media service |Logo=Disboard--Logo.png |Type=Private |Website=https://disboard.org/ |Description=Disboard is a public Discord server list that allows users to share Discord server invites using their Discord bot. }} {{Ph-C-Int}} ==Consumer-impact summary== {{Ph-C-CIS}} ==Incidents== {{Ph-C-Inc}} This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be..."

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2018
|Industry=Social media service
|Logo=Disboard--Logo.png
|Type=Private
|Website=https://disboard.org/
|Description=Disboard is a public Discord server list that allows users to share Discord server invites using their Discord bot.
}}
{{Ph-C-Int}}

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}

==Incidents==
{{Ph-C-Inc}}

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Example incident one (''date'')===
{{Main|link to the main CR Wiki article}}
Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).
===Example incident two (''date'')===
...

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

File:Disboard logo.png

2026-03-16T10:32:09Z

ChaoticDev:

Persona

2026-02-22T12:53:39Z

ChaoticDev:

{{CompanyCargo
|Logo=Persona.png
|Type=Private
|Website=https://withpersona.com/
|Description=Identity Verification
|Industry=Software}}

Persona is an Identity Verification company, founded in 2018 by Rick Song and Charles Yeh. It is funded by Founders Fund which is an adventure capitalist firm c-founded by Peter Theil. <ref>https://redact.dev/blog/discord-persona-age-verification-experiment</ref>

From the 14th July 2025 they started working with [[Reddit]] to perform ID checks on it's UK site, as part of the UK's Online Safety Act.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-07-14 |title=Reddit starts verifying ages of users in the UK |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4ep1znk4zo |access-date=2026-02-20 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

In February 2026 [[Discord]] announced they would be experimenting with Persona to perform ID checks worldwide.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-02-09 |title=Discord is rolling out facial scanning and ID checks globally in March for users who don't want to be locked into a 'teen-appropriate experience' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/discord-is-rolling-out-facial-scanning-and-id-checks-in-march-for-everyone-who-doesnt-want-to-be-locked-into-a-teen-appropriate-experience/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-20 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}

===User Privacy===
Information submitted by users can be retained up to three years. This data might be used to track the user's identity.

==Incidents==
{{Ph-C-Inc}}

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===AI-Powered Ages Verification leads to inaccurate age verification on Roblox ''(Jan 2026)''===
Children were being identified as adults and vice versa on [[Roblox]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=David |date=2026-01-13 |title=Roblox’s AI-Powered Age Verification Is a Complete Mess |url= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.ph/YEx3E |access-date=2026-02-20 |website=Wired}}</ref> The age verification restricted who the users could talk to. This implementation was criticised as not helping to address safety concerns, and harming the user experience.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-09 |title=Age Check to Chat Update & Fast Follow Roadmap |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/age-check-to-chat-update-fast-follow-roadmap/4238626/5 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=https://devforum.roblox.com/}}</ref>

===Persona tracks users===
On the 16th of February, 2026, a security researcher known as Celeste published an article showing that Persona was building profiles on users and sharing said profiles with the US government.<ref>https://vmfunc.re/blog/persona</ref> Alongside that, it was also discovered that 269 different checks were used for verification, which included things like phone carrier queries and death record matching. With their privacy policy hiding these checks under vague terms like "public government documents".<ref>https://withpersona.com/legal/privacy-policy-roblox</ref>

==Products==
* Identity Verification (2021)
* Age Verification (2025)

==Clients==
Persona provides their service to these companies and products:
*[[OpenAI]]
*[[Discord]]
*[[LinkedIn]]
*[[Etsy]]

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Roblox

2026-02-22T12:29:11Z

ChaoticDev:

{{Incomplete}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Description=American gaming platform featuring user-generated games with microtransactions, primarily targeted towards children.
|Founded=2004
|Industry=Gaming
|Logo=Roblox.svg
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Public
|Website=https://roblox.com/
}}
[[wikipedia:Roblox|'''Roblox''']] is an online platform which lets users create their own games, as well as all sorts of virtual items for their personal avatars. The platform is owned by the Roblox Corporation.

Users create games through Roblox Studio, an application separate from the Roblox Player. Roblox Studio can be used by a user to create digital backups of the games they create. These backups are stored on their hard drive and can not be altered by the Roblox Corporation.

==Consumer impact summary==
*'''User freedom:''' Documented in section 11 of the Roblox Terms of Use,<ref name="disputeResolution">https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004647846-Roblox-Terms-of-Use#dispute-resolution-user-roblox</ref> the user agrees to resolve disputes through Mandatory Informal Dispute Resolution (MIDR).<ref name="disputeResolution"></ref> If MIDR does not resolve a dispute, users within the United States are forced to proceed under [[Forced arbitration|binding arbitration]]. In order to initiate MIDR, users are required to send a physically-written notice by certified mail or through Federal Express.
*'''User privacy:''' All operations related to Roblox must, to some extent, occur on servers that Roblox owns. For example, it is nearly impossible to play a Roblox game without interacting with the Roblox servers. Roblox servers are not end to end encrypted, allowing possible vulnerabilities. Roblox explicitly states that they monitor all user activity to see if it complies with their rules.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restricted Content Policy |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004630823-Roblox-Privacy-and-Cookie-Policy#posting-content |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |at=Posting content}}</ref>
*'''Business model:''' Roblox profits off of an exclusive currency purchased with real-world currency called ''Robux'', and it is often used an an intermediary for microtransactions on the platform for user-generated content (UGC) such as cosmetics. Roblox is known to also make money off of collaborations that function as advertisements, such as with IKEA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Jun 3, 2024 |title=IKEA is opening a new store on Roblox… and you could be paid to work there! |url=https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/newsroom/corporate-news/ikea-is-opening-a-new-store-on-roblox-pub8a9272d0/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Ikea}}</ref>
*'''Market competition:''' Various platforms such as [[Epic Games]]' [https://www.fortnite.com/ Fortnite] and the lesser known Brick Hill<ref>https://brickhill.fandom.com/wiki/History_of_Brick_Hill</ref> by Mooshimity<ref>https://www.trademarkelite.com/uk/trademark/trademark-detail/UK00003523863/Brick-Hill</ref><ref>https://brickhill.fandom.com/wiki/Mooshimity</ref> have been known to emulate how Roblox works. Very few however, are successful in competing against them.
*'''Other information:''' The Roblox Corporation can terminate (delete) a user's account as long as they believe they are violating the Terms of Use.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date= |title=Roblox Terms of Use |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004647846-Roblox-Terms-of-Use |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://archive.fo/vproA |archive-date=23 Aug 2025 |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |page=Section 2}}</ref> Termination can not be revoked.<ref name=":1" /> A terminated user will lose all content they own on Roblox along with their account, including what they purchased with Robux.<ref name=":1" />

==Monetization==
Roblox is a free service which features microtransactions made with Robux, e.g. new accessories, clothing,exclusive content in certain games, and the ability to access certain games. All items purchased on Roblox are stored on Roblox servers alone, so Roblox has the ability to modify or delete the items you own. Deleted or moderated items do not guarantee a refund, even if user is not at fault. <ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date= |title=Will I Get My Robux Back If I Delete/Do Not Like an Item? |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/203313290-Will-I-Get-My-Robux-Back-If-I-Delete-Do-Not-Like-an-Item |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202060541/https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/203313290-Will-I-Get-My-Robux-Back-If-I-Delete-Do-Not-Like-an-Item |archive-date=2 Feb 2026 |access-date=20 Feb 2026 |website=Roblox Support}}</ref>

On September 9, 2021, Roblox launched an automated process for users to receive Robux back for items they had bought which had been deleted or otherwise moderated<ref>https://www.roblox.com/modcreditagreement/974158ba-99f0-4915-8fde-5b07b3cbbe09</ref>. The Roblox company implemented this change after they got sued for first allowing items to be sold and then deleting them without compensating users that purchased said items<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/59935306/doe-v-roblox-corporation/</ref>. Until then, there was no refund method in place, meaning that if an item was deleted, Roblox would keep all of the profit they made of said item and sometimes all of the money made from selling said item if the creators account got terminated and the creator hadn't spent their Robux yet.

==Incidents==
===Inappropriate Content===
Throughout the 2020s, Roblox has faced several controversies regarding child safety, including a lawsuit in 2020 over how the platform had allowed two adults to harass a 10-year-old girl, causing her mental health to deteriorate so badly that she resorted to suicide, according to her parents' testimony.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dorsey |first=Edwin |date=2025-08-15 |title=This list is the tip of the iceberg. So many cases go unreported, undetected, or contribute to the deaths of children. Below is one lawsuit in which a 10-year-old girl claimed abuse through Roblox. |url=https://x.com/StockJabber/status/1956415609345851567 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Twitter}}</ref>

On 14th August 2025, Louisana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a lawsuit against Roblox<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murrill |first=Elizabeth |date=2025-08-14 |title=Attorney General Liz Murrill on X |url=https://x.com/AGLizMurrill/status/1956081394083409932 |url-status=live |website=X}}</ref>, alleging child exploitation and the platforming of sexual predators on the platform. Roblox themselves released an official response to the lawsuit on 15th August 2025.

On 6 November 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Roblox, over child safety concerns, accusing the company of "deceiving parents about the dangers of its platform".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Iyer |first=Ram |date=2025-11-07 |title=Texas AG sues Roblox, accusing it of prioritizing ‘pixel pedophiles’ over child safety |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/07/texas-ag-sues-roblox-accusing-it-of-prioritizing-pixel-pedophiles-over-child-safety/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |work=TechCrunch}}</ref>

===Accusations of child labor===
In January 2022, ''The Guardian'' published a story accusing Roblox of profiting off child labor with detailed stories of teenagers being scammed and becoming victims of sexual grooming in communities conveniently off the platform.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/games/2022/jan/09/the-trouble-with-roblox-the-video-game-empire-built-on-child-labour</ref> In October 2022, the first of many lawsuits alleging Roblox enabled a girl's sexual exploitation was filed.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/legal/game-company-roblox-enabled-girls-sexual-exploitation-lawsuit-claims-2022-10-05/</ref>

On the 24th of August 2025 the youtube channel People Make Games published a video about Roblox's treatment of children. One of the points in the video is about how Roblox developers own a currency called "Robux" that resembles a new form of [[wikipedia:Company_scrip|Company Scrip]], a currency that is exclusively earned and exchanged in the company. Exchanging it back into a real currency will result in less payment overall, encouraging the use of it inside the company. The currency was made illegal in 1938.

===Blocking Linux users===
In April 2023, Roblox intentionally blocked Linux users playing the game via Wine, a tool used for running Windows apps on POSIX-compliant operating systems, they cite "security and compatibility concerns."<ref>{{Cite web |title= Devforum Post by MrEaker of Roblox |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/the-new-roblox-64-bit-byfron-client-forbids-wine-users-from-using-it-most-likely-unintentional/2305528/2}}</ref> This announcement followed Roblox's acquisition of Byfron, as well as their developments towards a 64-bit Roblox client.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Devforum Post by Roblox Announcing Byfron Acquisition|url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/welcoming-byfron-to-roblox/2018233}}</ref> Despite this change to the client, users were still able to access Roblox Studio, the development application, utilizing Wine.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Devforum Post by Bitdancer regarding Studio|url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/the-new-roblox-64-bit-byfron-client-forbids-wine-users-from-using-it-most-likely-unintentional/2305528/34}}</ref> In August 2023, an update to Roblox once again allowed users to run Roblox via Wine, and many users opted to use a fork of Wine titled Vinegar made specifically for Roblox.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Devforum Post Discussing Roblox on Linux |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/vinegar-the-better-way-to-run-roblox-on-linux/2224394/24}}</ref> In February of 2024, Roblox would go back on their decision and ban the use of Wine for the Roblox Client, citing extended use of Wine-based exploits, Roblox Studio remains available under wine.<ref>{{Cite web |title= VinegarHQ 2024 Roblox on Linux Block FAQ |url=https://vinegarhq.org/Home/rol_faq.html}}</ref> In August 2024, the Vinegar team would release Sober, a closed-source application utilizing a translation layer to access the Roblox client via a mobile Android package kit (APK).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sober - Roblox on Linux |url=https://sober.vinegarhq.org/ |access-date=12 Aug 2025}}</ref> In April 2025, Roblox engineer Bitdancer would state on the Roblox Devforums that they see no reason to block Sober, but that they may disable it as a side effect of changes in security. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Devforum Post by Bitdancer regarding Sober|url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/roblox-security-changes-break-nvidia-ansel-vulkan-layer-support/3601172/40}}</ref>

===Problematic moderation===
{{Main|Roblox's problematic moderation}}
Roblox as a platform has been known by consumers to moderate content in ways that are inconsistent. The platform's chat moderation feature censors inoffensive speech,<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/Gregheffley95 |date=Feb 26, 2021 |title=Roblox censors almost everything |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619214011/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |archive-date=Jun 19, 2023 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> including numbers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Mar 7, 2017 |title=Why the hell are numbers censored! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/5y0w3z/why_the_hell_are_numbers_censored/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] - r/Roblox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=JParty |date=Feb 24, 2017 |title=Updates to Chat Privacy API + New Account Indicators + Changes to Text Filtering APIs |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/updates-to-chat-privacy-api-new-account-indicators-changes-to-text-filtering-apis/33867 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Roblox Dev Forum}}</ref>

In recent years, moderation has been documented to neglect handling child predators, only handling the most egregious of actors after massive consumer backlash<ref>{{Cite news |last=Olivia |first=Carville |last2=D’Anastasio |first2=Cecilia |date=Jul 22, 2024 |title=Roblox’s Pedophile Problem |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-roblox-pedophile-problem/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Bloomberg}}</ref> or lawsuits,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanenbaum |first=Michael |date=Feb 25, 2025 |title=Family from N.J. sues Roblox and Discord, claiming platforms are 'hunting ground' for child predators |url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/new-jersey-familys-suit-alleges-roblox-discord-are-hunting-ground-child-predators/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Philly Voice}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 8, 2025 |title=‘Breeding ground for predators’: Roblox sued by DeKalb 10-year-old’s family |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/breeding-ground-predators-roblox-sued-150622871.html |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=WSBTV 2 Atlanta}}</ref> and in many cases, these individuals tend to have their bans reversed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox Is Threatening to Sue Me For Protecting Kids |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8&t |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Additionally, the platform has been documented to host various mature experiences,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Jan 9, 2024 |title=this simulator should NOT be on roblox... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMdacOJxmjU |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Apr 14, 2024 |title=Roblox Needs to BAN These Games... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE3FeYfJOhw |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> which have been recorded to be used as breeding grounds for predatory behavior.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Feb 7, 2024 |title=I Caught a Roblox PREDATOR in this game... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQMSc-9jGMQ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> This neglect has gone so far as to the platform threatening litigation against individuals attempting to get child predators reported to authorities.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Huang |first=Marcus |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox YouTuber Battles Child Predators {{!}} Accounts Terminated Amid Backlash |url=https://leveluptalk.com/news/roblox-youtuber-fights-child-predators-banned/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Level Up Talk}}</ref>

According to Ruben Sim, the Roblox report system (which allows users to 'report' rule-violating behavior to Roblox moderators) often had a success rate of 20%<ref>https://youtu.be/Q-s0sLZ4oJA?t=52</ref> ([https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zqJJSNm2utDjFDwtIkQGo6jh3OtyYZhzpyRI-UnxQbA/edit?tab=t.0 Ruben Sims Documentation]), With the Roblox community theorizing a very low chance "Near ZERO" said in one forum<ref>https://devforum.roblox.com/t/the-chance-of-a-successful-appeal-near-zero/2985866</ref>. even when obviously rule-violating accounts possessing usernames which were distorted versions of minor-sexualizing phrases such as "14 year old slut".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=22 Dec 2023 |title=Do Roblox Reports Really Work? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-s0sLZ4oJA&ab_channel=RubenSim |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Youtube |type=Video}}</ref><ref>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zqJJSNm2utDjFDwtIkQGo6jh3OtyYZhzpyRI-UnxQbA/edit?tab=t.0</ref>
===Condo Games===
"Condo" games on Roblox are a type of game which simulates sex between Roblox avatars. According to the policies on Romantic and Sexual Content, "Any content which explicitly [depicts] sexual content or nudity is against the rules of Roblox<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restricted Content Policy |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |at=Romantic and Sexual Content}}</ref>". Due to the rule-violating nature of these games and how they can harm the fanbase of Roblox (Which is overwhelmingly composed of young children<ref>https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/wiki/what-percent-of-roblox-users-are-kids/</ref><ref>https://www.statista.com/statistics/1190869/roblox-games-users-global-distribution-age/</ref>'')'', they are often removed by Roblox moderation.

However, due to the potentially backup-creating nature of Roblox Studio, creators of these Condo games can endlessly republish these offending games under alternate accounts as long as they keep the backup file. Roblox has added an 18+ experiences, Although Roblox still announces sexual themes are still highly prohibited<ref>https://devforum.roblox.com/t/updating-age-requirements-for-experiences-with-%E2%80%98restricted%E2%80%99-content-maturity-label/3905863</ref>. Still, condo games almost never mark themselves as 18+<ref>https://www.roblox.com/discover/?Keyword=r35</ref>, allowing underage users to potentially be harmed.

===Predator-hunting groups===
In 9th August, 2025, Roblox issued a Cease and Desist to Roblox predator hunting channel RealSchlep<ref>{{Cite web |author=RealSchlep |date=9 Aug 2025 |title=Schlep on X posting about his Cease and Desist |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954255952997478537 |url-status=live |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=X}}</ref>. "Schlep used the method of acting like an underage person (decoy) to catch bad actors on Roblox. Using this method he got 6 arrests according to his team using Roblox until they issued a Cease and Desist. Roblox added a rule to their Terms of Use<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Matt |date=13 Aug 2025 |title=Roblox on vigilante groups |url=https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/08/more-on-removal-of-vigilantes-from-roblox |url-status=live |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox}}</ref>. Roblox is reassuring their playerbase that the groups do not use the proper channels that Roblox provides to report potential criminals. This sparked even more backlash for the already problematic moderation system, leaving players and parents in doubt if Roblox is even a safe environment for children.

===Age checks to chat===
In 3rd September, 2025, Matt Kaufman (Roblox's Chief Safety Officer) issues an post on their blog announcing their plans to implement facial estimation in order to "provide an accurate measure of a user's age rather than relying on what they type in when creating an account"<ref>''Matt Kaufman (2025-09-03).'' [https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/09/roblox-to-expand-age-estimation-to-all-users "Roblox Announces Ambitious Plan to Expand Age Estimation to All Users"]. ''Roblox's Newsroom. Retrieved 2026-01-22.''</ref>. Later on October, Roblox announces on their developer forum a post titled "Encouraging users to complete an age check to chat", citing a partnership with [[Persona]], which as of early 2026, is currently being sued over biometric data handling<ref>https://law.justia.com/cases/illinois/court-of-appeals-third-appellate-district/2024/3-24-0210.html</ref>. In that same post, they cite that "early next year, users will be required to be age checked to chat on Roblox"<ref>https://devforum.roblox.com/t/test-encouraging-users-to-complete-an-age-check-to-chat/4035155</ref>.

On November, 2025, Roblox released an update that required users on Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand to be age verified in order to use chat by either facial estimation or ID verification, which caused outrage amongst users. On January 7th, 2026, they seemingly ignored the outrage and released the update globally<ref>https://devforum.roblox.com/t/age-check-requirement-to-chat-now-live-globally/4226101</ref><ref>''Matt Kaufman and Rajiv Bhatia (2026-01-07).'' [https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2026/01/roblox-age-checks-required-to-chat "A New Era of Safety: Facial Age Checks Now Required to Chat on Roblox"] ''Roblox's Newsroom. Retrieved 2026-01-22.''</ref>.

==References==
<references /><ref name=":2" />
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

OpenAI

2026-02-22T12:24:25Z

ChaoticDev: Added in a section about the companies crawling habits and added in a missing reference.

{{stub}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2015
|Industry=Artificial Intelligence, Technology
|Logo=OpenAI logo.svg
|Type=Private
|Website=https://openai.com/
|Description=OpenAI is an AI focused megacorporation that owns ChatGPT.
}}

'''{{wplink|OpenAI}}'''<ref>[https://openai.com/ OpenAI Landing Page]</ref> is an American [[Artificial intelligence]] (AI) focused company. Founded in December 2015, OpenAI is best known their [[ChatGPT]] chatbot, also known for the Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (GPT) family of large language models, the DALL-E series of text-to-image models, and Sora, a text-to-video model. With a reported revenue of $10B in FY2025 <ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=10 Jun 2025 |title=OpenAI's annualized revenue hits $10 billion, up from $5.5 billion in December 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/openais-annualized-revenue-hits-10-billion-up-55-billion-december-2024-2025-06-09/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610051847/https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/openais-annualized-revenue-hits-10-billion-up-55-billion-december-2024-2025-06-09/ |archive-date=2025-06-10 |access-date=2025-09-22 |website=Reuters}}</ref> and approximately 5.5B visitors per month<ref>[https://www.semrush.com/website/chatgpt.com/overview/ ChatGPT monthly traffic] </ref>, OpenAI has positioned itself has a leader in the Generative AI industry. 
==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
*Misleading advertising. ChatGPT terms of service say it should not be used to make decisions about people. However their advertising claims it is "PhD level" and makes other claims that seem to imply it is reliable. Many people use ChatGPT as if its output were meaningful, reliable, or a substitute for interaction with a person.
*Credits (money) expire automatically with no notification, and the credit balance interface makes this process confusing. You must maintain a positive account balance, and you are auto-billed a fixed amount if it goes negative. Accounts can be banned and credits confiscated for typing the wrong things in chat, with no recourse.
*A mobile phone number in a friendly country is required to better track your identity.

This is what '''OpenAI''' says as part of their data usage policy:

''We share content with a select group of trusted service providers that help us provide our services. We share the minimum amount of content we need in order to accomplish this purpose and our service providers are subject to strict confidentiality and security obligations. We do not use or share user content for marketing or advertising purposes.''

==Incidents==
{{Ph-C-Inc}}

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

=== Web Crawlers ignoring robots.txt (2025) ===
In 2025, Jonathan Bailey from PlagiarismToday posted an article going into how ChatGPTs web crawlers were ignoring the sites Robots.txt file.<ref>https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2025/07/23/chatgpt-ignores-robots-txt-rehashes-my-column/</ref> PlaigarismToday had blocked OpenAI's web crawlers in August of 2023, yet the latest ChatGPT model at the time provided data from articles that were posted the day before on the website, even though OpenAI wasn't supposed to be scraping these web pages. This can be problematic for smaller websites, due to OpenAI's aggressive approach to web crawling, with their crawlers reportedly in a single week sending in more than 29 thousand requests to a wiki known as The Cutting Room Floor.<ref>https://discord.com/channels/386543982399979531/386553674932944899/1386485774220001310 (Message link from The Cutting Room Floor's official Discord server)</ref>

=== ChatGPT Atlas and prompt-injection vulnerability (2025) ===
In 2025, Brave posted an article about vulnerabilities that have agentic web browsers, such as ChatGPT Atlas, that consists of adding hidden malicious prompts in files, text or another media. Those prompts, combined with weak safeguards of the AI agents, can make them to expose and leak sensitive data of the user.<ref>https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/PromptInjection</ref>

==Products==
*[[ChatGPT]]
*DALL-E models
*GPT models
*Sora models
*ChatGPT Atlas

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Artificial intelligence companies]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]

Roblox

2025-11-08T10:38:10Z

ChaoticDev: Expanded the market competition section and the deleted item refund section.

{{Incomplete}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Roblox
| Type = Company
| Founded = 2004
| Industry = Gaming
| Official Website = https://roblox.com/
| Logo = Roblox.svg
}}

[[wikipedia:Roblox|'''Roblox''']] is an online platform which lets users create their own games, as well as all sorts of virtual items for their personal avatars. The platform is owned by the Roblox Corporation.

Users create games through Roblox Studio, an application separate from the Roblox Player. Roblox Studio can be used by a user to create digital backups of the games they create. These backups are stored on their hard drive and can not be altered by the Roblox Corporation.

==Consumer impact summary==
{{Incomplete section}}

*'''User freedom:''' Documented in section 11 of the Roblox Terms of Use,<ref name="disputeResolution">https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004647846-Roblox-Terms-of-Use#dispute-resolution-user-roblox</ref> the user agrees to resolve disputes through Mandatory Informal Dispute Resolution (MIDR).<ref name="disputeResolution"></ref> If MIDR does not resolve a dispute, users within the United States are forced to proceed under [[Forced arbitration|binding arbitration]]. In order to initiate MIDR, users are required to send a physically-written notice by certified mail or through Federal Express.
*'''User privacy:''' All operations related to Roblox must, to some extent, occur on servers that Roblox owns. For example, it is nearly impossible to play a Roblox game without interacting with the Roblox servers. Roblox servers are not end to end encrypted, allowing possible vulnerabilities. Roblox explicitly states that they monitor all user activity to see if it complies with their rules.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restricted Content Policy |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004630823-Roblox-Privacy-and-Cookie-Policy#posting-content |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |at=Posting content}}</ref>
*'''Business model:''' Roblox profits off of an exclusive currency purchased with real-world currency called ''Robux'', and it is often used an an intermediary for microtransactions on the platform for user-generated content (UGC) such as cosmetics. Roblox is known to also make money off of collaborations that function as advertisements, such as with IKEA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Jun 3, 2024 |title=IKEA is opening a new store on Roblox… and you could be paid to work there! |url=https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/newsroom/corporate-news/ikea-is-opening-a-new-store-on-roblox-pub8a9272d0/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Ikea}}</ref>
*'''Market competition:''' Various platforms such as [[Epic Games]]' [https://www.fortnite.com/ Fortnite] and the lesser known Brick Hill<ref>https://brickhill.fandom.com/wiki/History_of_Brick_Hill</ref> by Mooshimity<ref>https://www.trademarkelite.com/uk/trademark/trademark-detail/UK00003523863/Brick-Hill</ref><ref>https://brickhill.fandom.com/wiki/Mooshimity</ref> have been known to emulate how Roblox works. Very few however, are successful in competing against them.
*'''Other information:''' The Roblox Corporation can terminate (delete) a user's account as long as they believe they are violating the Terms of Use.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date= |title=Roblox Terms of Use |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004647846-Roblox-Terms-of-Use |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://archive.fo/vproA |archive-date=23 Aug 2025 |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |page=Section 2}}</ref> Termination can not be revoked.<ref name=":1" /> A terminated user will lose all content they own on Roblox along with their account, including what they purchased with Robux.<ref name=":1" />

==Monetization==
Roblox is a free service which features in-game purchases made with Robux, e.g. new accessories, exclusive content in certain games, and the ability to access certain games. All items purchased on Roblox are stored on Roblox servers alone, so Roblox has the ability to modify or delete the items you own.

On September 9, 2021, Roblox launched an automated process for users to receive Robux back for items they had bought which had been deleted or otherwise moderated<ref>https://www.roblox.com/modcreditagreement/974158ba-99f0-4915-8fde-5b07b3cbbe09</ref>. The Roblox company implemented this change after they got sued for first allowing items to be sold and then deleting them without compensating users that purchased said items<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/59935306/doe-v-roblox-corporation/</ref>. Until then, there was no refund method in place, meaning that if an item was deleted, Roblox would keep all of the profit they made of said item and sometimes all of the money made from selling said item if the creators account got terminated and the creator hadn't spent their Robux yet.

==Incidents==

===Inappropriate Content===
Throughout the 2020s, Roblox has faced several controversies regarding child safety, including a lawsuit in 2020 over how the platform had allowed two adults to harass a 10-year-old girl, causing her mental health to deteriorate so badly that she resorted to suicide, according to her parents' testimony.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dorsey |first=Edwin |date=2025-08-15 |title=This list is the tip of the iceberg. So many cases go unreported, undetected, or contribute to the deaths of children. Below is one lawsuit in which a 10-year-old girl claimed abuse through Roblox. |url=https://x.com/StockJabber/status/1956415609345851567 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Twitter}}</ref>

On 14th August 2025, Louisana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a lawsuit against Roblox<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murrill |first=Elizabeth |date=2025-08-14 |title=Attorney General Liz Murrill on X |url=https://x.com/AGLizMurrill/status/1956081394083409932 |url-status=live |website=X}}</ref>, alleging child exploitation and the platforming of sexual predators on the platform. Roblox themselves released an official response to the lawsuit on 15th August 2025.

On 6 November 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Roblox, over child safety concerns, accusing the company of "deceiving parents about the dangers of its platform".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Iyer |first=Ram |date=2025-11-07 |title=Texas AG sues Roblox, accusing it of prioritizing ‘pixel pedophiles’ over child safety |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/07/texas-ag-sues-roblox-accusing-it-of-prioritizing-pixel-pedophiles-over-child-safety/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |work=TechCrunch}}</ref>

===Accusations of child labor===

In January 2022, ''The Guardian'' published a story accusing Roblox of profiting off child labor with detailed stories of teenagers being scammed and becoming victims of sexual grooming in communities conveniently off the platform.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/games/2022/jan/09/the-trouble-with-roblox-the-video-game-empire-built-on-child-labour</ref> In October 2022, the first of many lawsuits alleging Roblox enabled a girl's sexual exploitation was filed.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/legal/game-company-roblox-enabled-girls-sexual-exploitation-lawsuit-claims-2022-10-05/</ref>

On the 24th of August 2025 the youtube channel People Make Games published a video about Roblox's treatment of children. One of the points in the video is about how Roblox developers own a currency called "Robux" that resembles a new form of [[wikipedia:Company_scrip|Company Scrip]], a currency that is exclusively earned and exchanged in the company. Exchanging it back into a real currency will result in less payment overall, encouraging the use of it inside the company. The currency was made illegal in 1938.

===Blocking Linux users===
In April 2023, Roblox intentionally blocked Linux users playing the game via Wine, a tool used for running Windows apps on POSIX-compliant operating systems, they cite "security and compatibility concerns."<ref>{{Cite web |title= Devforum Post by MrEaker of Roblox |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/the-new-roblox-64-bit-byfron-client-forbids-wine-users-from-using-it-most-likely-unintentional/2305528/2}}</ref> This announcement followed Roblox's acquisition of Byfron, as well as their developments towards a 64-bit Roblox client.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Devforum Post by Roblox Announcing Byfron Acquisition|url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/welcoming-byfron-to-roblox/2018233}}</ref> Despite this change to the client, users were still able to access Roblox Studio, the development application, utilizing Wine.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Devforum Post by Bitdancer regarding Studio|url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/the-new-roblox-64-bit-byfron-client-forbids-wine-users-from-using-it-most-likely-unintentional/2305528/34}}</ref> In August 2023, an update to Roblox once again allowed users to run Roblox via Wine, and many users opted to use a fork of Wine titled Vinegar made specifically for Roblox.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Devforum Post Discussing Roblox on Linux |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/vinegar-the-better-way-to-run-roblox-on-linux/2224394/24}}</ref> In February of 2024, Roblox would go back on their decision and ban the use of Wine for the Roblox Client, citing extended use of Wine-based exploits, Roblox Studio remains available under wine.<ref>{{Cite web |title= VinegarHQ 2024 Roblox on Linux Block FAQ |url=https://vinegarhq.org/Home/rol_faq.html}}</ref> In August 2024, the Vinegar team would release Sober, a closed-source application utilizing a translation layer to access the Roblox client via a mobile Android package kit (APK).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sober - Roblox on Linux |url=https://sober.vinegarhq.org/ |access-date=12 Aug 2025}}</ref> In April 2025, Roblox engineer Bitdancer would state on the Roblox Devforums that they see no reason to block Sober, but that they may disable it as a side effect of changes in security. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Devforum Post by Bitdancer regarding Sober|url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/roblox-security-changes-break-nvidia-ansel-vulkan-layer-support/3601172/40}}</ref>

===Problematic moderation===
{{Main|Roblox's problematic moderation}}
Roblox as a platform has been known by consumers to moderate content in ways that are inconsistent. The platform's chat moderation feature censors inoffensive speech,<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/Gregheffley95 |date=Feb 26, 2021 |title=Roblox censors almost everything |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619214011/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |archive-date=Jun 19, 2023 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> including numbers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Mar 7, 2017 |title=Why the hell are numbers censored! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/5y0w3z/why_the_hell_are_numbers_censored/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] - r/Roblox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=JParty |date=Feb 24, 2017 |title=Updates to Chat Privacy API + New Account Indicators + Changes to Text Filtering APIs |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/updates-to-chat-privacy-api-new-account-indicators-changes-to-text-filtering-apis/33867 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Roblox Dev Forum}}</ref>

In recent years, moderation has been documented to neglect handling child predators, only handling the most egregious of actors after massive consumer backlash<ref>{{Cite news |last=Olivia |first=Carville |last2=D’Anastasio |first2=Cecilia |date=Jul 22, 2024 |title=Roblox’s Pedophile Problem |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-roblox-pedophile-problem/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Bloomberg}}</ref> or lawsuits,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanenbaum |first=Michael |date=Feb 25, 2025 |title=Family from N.J. sues Roblox and Discord, claiming platforms are 'hunting ground' for child predators |url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/new-jersey-familys-suit-alleges-roblox-discord-are-hunting-ground-child-predators/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Philly Voice}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 8, 2025 |title=‘Breeding ground for predators’: Roblox sued by DeKalb 10-year-old’s family |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/breeding-ground-predators-roblox-sued-150622871.html |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=WSBTV 2 Atlanta}}</ref> and in many cases, these individuals tend to have their bans reversed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox Is Threatening to Sue Me For Protecting Kids |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8&t |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Additionally, the platform has been documented to host various mature experiences,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Jan 9, 2024 |title=this simulator should NOT be on roblox... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMdacOJxmjU |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Apr 14, 2024 |title=Roblox Needs to BAN These Games... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE3FeYfJOhw |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> which have been recorded to be used as breeding grounds for predatory behavior.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlep |date=Feb 7, 2024 |title=I Caught a Roblox PREDATOR in this game... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQMSc-9jGMQ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> This neglect has gone so far as to the platform threatening litigation against individuals attempting to get child predators reported to authorities.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Huang |first=Marcus |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox YouTuber Battles Child Predators {{!}} Accounts Terminated Amid Backlash |url=https://leveluptalk.com/news/roblox-youtuber-fights-child-predators-banned/ |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Level Up Talk}}</ref>

According to Ruben Sim, the Roblox report system (which allows users to 'report' rule-violating behavior to Roblox moderators) often had a success rate of 0%, even when obviously rule-violating accounts possessing usernames which were distorted versions of minor-sexualizing phrases such as "14 year old slut".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=22 Dec 2023 |title=Do Roblox Reports Really Work? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-s0sLZ4oJA&ab_channel=RubenSim |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Youtube |type=Video}}</ref>

====Condo Games====
"Condo" games on Roblox are a type of game which simulates sex between Roblox avatars. According to the policies on Romantic and Sexual Content, "Any content which explicitly [depicts] sexual content or nudity is against the rules of Roblox".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restricted Content Policy |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |at=Romantic and Sexual Content}}</ref> Due to the rule-violating nature of these games and how they can harm the fanbase of Roblox, due to the fanbase of Roblox being overwhelmingly composed of young children''[citation needed]'', they are often removed by Roblox moderation.

However, due to the potentially backup-creating nature of Roblox Studio, creators of these Condo games can endlessly republish these offending games under alternate accounts as long as they keep the backup file. While Roblox is considering the creation of "Restricted" experiences which may allow these heavier sexual themes''[citation needed]'', Condo games almost never mark themselves as restricted, allowing underage users to potentially access them.

===Predator-hunting groups===
In 9th August, 2025, Roblox issued a Cease and Desist to Roblox predator hunting channel RealSchlep<ref>{{Cite web |author=RealSchlep |date=9 Aug 2025 |title=Schlep on X posting about his Cease and Desist |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954255952997478537 |url-status=live |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=X}}</ref>. "Schlep used the method of acting like an underage person (decoy) to catch bad actors on Roblox. Using this method he got 6 arrests according to his team using Roblox until they issued a Cease and Desist. Roblox added a rule to their Terms of Use<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Matt |date=13 Aug 2025 |title=Roblox on vigilante groups |url=https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/08/more-on-removal-of-vigilantes-from-roblox |url-status=live |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox}}</ref>. Roblox is reassuring their playerbase that the groups do not use the proper channels that Roblox provides to report potential criminals. This sparked even more backlash for the already problematic moderation system, leaving players and parents in doubt if Roblox is even a safe environment for children.

==References==
<references />
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]