A new petition calling for the removal of Roblox CEO David Baszucki has gained significant traction online with over 30,000 signatures and counting. Since its initial release in 2006, Roblox has become a wildly popular video game platform, especially among kids. The platform allows users to create their own games and play with others, with a few breaking out as some of the most popular games of all time. Grow a Garden, a relatively recent Roblox phenomenon, for instance, had nearly 22 million concurrent users at one time - a world record.
Roblox's eye-watering success can not be denied. There have been times when its Robux virtual currency was more valuable than some real-world currencies, and it remains an absolute juggernaut in the gaming industry with no real signs of slowing down. However, Roblox has also found itself at the center of various controversies. The biggest issue that Roblox has faced is the accusation that it's unsafe for children, with various lawsuits going after the company. One of the more recent lawsuits has accused Roblox of failing to protect a 13-year-old who was allegedly groomed and kidnapped by someone that they met on the platform.
Roblox CEO Says that the Platform Will Have Dating Some Day
Roblox CEO David Baszucki says the massively popular gaming platform will have a dating feature someday, hinting at new ways for users to connect.
Over 30,000 Have Signed a Petition Calling for the Removal of the Roblox CEO
Roblox has insisted that it is dedicated to the "safety and well-being" of its community, but that hasn't stopped the lawsuits from being filed. Now thousands of individuals seemingly unsatisfied with Roblox's actions to protect the children on its platform thus far have signed a Change.org petition calling for the removal of CEO David Baszucki from the company. The petition, started by MrMhGaming, has amassed over 30,000 signatures so far with more being added with nearly every refresh of the page. The petition accuses Roblox of "allowing predators to groom children."
The petition comes days after content creator Schlep, who is known for exposing predators on the platform, was banned and issued a cease and desist notice. The notice stated that Schlep's actions "directly undermine Roblox's safety efforts and, critically, are exposing our users to increased risk." The cease and desist goes on to acknowledge that Schlep's intentions have been to protect children on the platform, but it pointed out that he failed to "immediately report suspicious activity to Roblox through proper channels, are actively interfering with Roblox's established safety protocols and, critically, are exposing Roblox's users to increased risk."
Some Roblox developers have called for a protest over Schlep being banned from the platform. The plan is to change their icons and thumbnails to "FREE SCHLEP" on Friday, August 15 to voice their disapproval over the decision to ban him from Roblox.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- September 1, 2006
- ESRB
- Teen / Diverse Content: Discretion Advised, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Roblox Corporation
- Publisher(s)
- Roblox Corporation
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Game Creation System
