A popular game among younger children–Roblox–has been under relentless fire by the public after Roblox banned a popular YouTuber known as Schlep from its platform. The controversy over the platform has continued to spiral since, with parents across the nation weighing in.
Mr. and Mrs. Chris and Destiny Bechlem, a local family with several young children, collectively had this to say: “We hate Roblox. We monitor everything [our children] do on Roblox.” Adding on, the Bechlams say, “For the most part, we have completely banned it from our household entirely.” But, they didn’t do that without explanation. “Talking to our kids about the dangers on the platform” is a critical component.
So, how did all this controversy start?
Who Is Schlep?
Schlep is a popular YouTuber who is well known for getting predators on the popular kids’ game Roblox arrested and has led to the arrest of six different individuals who were attempting to “groom” kids.
Why Did Roblox Ban Schlep?
On Aug. 10, Roblox sent a “cease and desist” letter to Schlep, who posted about it online on X (once known as Twitter) for violating its terms of service, claiming that he simulated child endangerment conversations, shared personally identifiable information, and moved conversations off the platform. This news outraged fans of Schlep, as well as the greater majority of the Roblox community, causing a wide range of issues for Roblox.
What Happened to Roblox Next?
After the news became public knowledge, Roblox was swiftly banned in many countries–including China, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Algeria, and Kuwait, along with Indonesia–restricting its use for elementary and junior high students, as The Economic Times reports. In addition to the banning from numerous countries, Roblox has also received a phone book of lawsuits from families all over the world claiming that Roblox failed to protect their children. Even at the state level, attorneys are also suing Roblox for failing to keep children safe, according to cnn.com. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Merrill calls the platform “the perfect place for pedophiles.”
Gael Huerta, an EHS Sophomore who is well aware of the Roblox situation, says, “It’s definitely not good that Chris Hanson [host of NBC’s To Catch a Predator] came out of retirement to speak out against the situation.” On top of it all, creators from the star creator program have left–some being big names and common with kids, such as Thinknoodles and KreekCraft.
How Is Roblox Responding?
Roblox purportedly calls Schlep a vigilante, accusing him of moving users off-platform for sexual conversations, which it determines as something that cannot be tolerated–along with saying that it is actively working with law enforcement to hold predators accountable for their actions. To that point, Mr. Joshua Smith–an Elkhart father of three who has a child in grade school playing Roblox–says, “I think it shouldn’t be Roblox’s problem, and it seems unrealistic for them to be able to handle all of it by themselves.” Concluding, he adds, “These kinds of situations can happen on any kind of communication platform, not just Roblox.”
How Is Schlep Responding?
Schlep has partnered with a popular YouTuber lawyer known as Law By Mike to raise awareness about the issues on Roblox and to sue the company over its perceived carelessness regarding child safety. Additionally, Schlep has hired a law firm to countersue Roblox, asserting that the company’s policies enable child predators and that the ban is an attack on those raising concerns about child safety.
Braxton Fultz–a EHS Sophomore who plays Roblox–shakes his head in amazement at the whole ordeal. “To be honest, this situation is terrible when it comes down to it. And, if Chris Hanson comes out of retirement and Law by Mike gets into it, it’s not going to end well.”
What Does This Mean About Child Safety on Roblox?
Based on the evidence and Roblox’s actions in recent circumstances, it’s clear to many that Roblox is an unsafe place for children and in need of desperate change, as seen from the following petitions:
- “Petition to Reverse Roblox Bans on Child Protectors and Remove CEO David Baszuki”,
- “FREE SCHLEP”,
- “#freeschlep”,
- “Stop child predators- Free Schlep”,
- “Stop Roblox From Silencing Predator Catchers”,
- “Deman David Baszuki Resign from Roblox Corporation”
- “Matt Kaufman needs to resign as Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer.”.
