Ohio attorney general Andy Wilson is seeking to lead a lawsuit accusing video game developer Roblox of misleading investors regarding child safety protections.
On Friday, Wilson’s office filed a motion to lead the case on behalf of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
The lawsuit accuses California-based Roblox of portraying its platform as a safe space for children, while “failing to implement basic protections against online predators,” Wilson said.
Earlier this year, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita sued Roblox, with the platform saying it implemented procedures and guidelines that are designed to keep children safe.
Roblox said it is the first major platform to require age checks for all users to access chat features. Wilson claimed the safety measures have caused user growth to plummet and lowered Roblox’s annual revenue projection.
“Roblox lied to investors and failed to protect children from online predators,” Wilson said. “We’re taking action to recover millions in lost pension funds and to make it clear that tech companies must be held accountable when they put kids in harm’s way.”
The lawsuit is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and is seeking financial damages.
