Florida family sues Roblox, Discord after alleged online exploitation

Family suing Roblox & Discord

The family of a Florida child has filed a lawsuit against Roblox and Discord, accusing the popular platforms of failing to protect her from sexual exploitation. FOX 13’s Matthew McClellan reports.

A Florida girl was allegedly groomed and sexually exploited on Roblox and Discord, two platforms widely used by children, according to a lawsuit filed this week in California.

The case comes amid a wave of legal and government pressure aimed at holding tech companies accountable for protecting minors online.

The lawsuit was filed by Anapol Weiss and Girard Sharp on behalf of a Volusia County minor.

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What they're saying:

Attorneys say the child was first contacted through Roblox, then coerced into sharing explicit content on Discord.

"A young girl has been forever traumatized because of how these platforms are built and operated," said Alexandra Walsh, an attorney for the family. "But this is not just about one child. It’s about the systemic failures of billion-dollar companies that continue to ignore glaring risks to their youngest users."

The legal complaint comes just days after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a subpoena to Roblox, demanding documents and internal communications related to child safety, age verification, marketing practices, and content moderation.

Pictured: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.

Roblox confirmed to FOX 13 News that it intends to cooperate with the Attorney General’s Office and shared this statement regarding the lawsuit:

"As a policy, we cannot comment on pending litigation and will respond appropriately through the legal process. With that being said, Roblox is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of our community... We will continue to evolve our safety practices to promote a secure and positive experience for everyone on our platform."

Discord has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

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Dig deeper:

Florida’s Roblox subpoena seeks a wide range of documents – from chat moderation procedures and age verification audits to records of abuse reports involving children in Florida. It also demands details on how Roblox markets to kids, including through influencers, social media, and giveaways.

Roblox reports that 40% of its 85 million daily users are under 13. The lawsuit and subpoena both argue the platform has failed to take sufficient steps to protect those young users from exploitation.

Attorneys say the Volusia County case is not just about justice for one child – it’s a call for sweeping reform.

"The momentum is undeniable," said Anapol Weiss shareholder Kristen Feden. "Regulators, law enforcement, and the courts are all zeroing in on the same conclusion: these companies have fallen short in protecting children."

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Matthew McClellan.

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