• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, April 22, 2025

Online game platform Roblox has been hit with a class-action complaint for allegedly secretly tracking users and “harvesting detailed personal data.”

“Through hidden scripts and trackers, Roblox intercepts the contents of users' communications with its platform and shares them with third parties for analytics and advertising, without users’ knowledge or consent,” Los Angeles residents Michael and Salena Garcia, and their underage child, a Roblox user identified only as R.G., allege in a complaint filed late last week in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The complaint alleges that Roblox uses a variety of tracking technologies to create “a comprehensive profile of each user’s device and activity.”

Some of the allegations appear to focus on Roblox's own use of the data collected from its platform. For instance, the Garcia family alleges that Roblox uses data to personalize notifications and content.

But the family also alleges that Roblox might share children's data with outside ad companies that could then incorporate that information into a “broader profile of that child across the web.”

“A child playing a game on Roblox could unknowingly have their information shared with external advertising networks that build a broader profile of that child across the web,” the suit alleges.

The Garcia family also alleges that even though Roblox allegedly knew many users are under 13, it “designed its platform to harvest children’s personal information without obtaining verifiable parental consent.”

“Roblox’s user interface provides no clear warning that by using the platform, the user is subject to extensive tracking,” the complaint alleges.

The family's complaint includes claims that Roblox violates the federal wiretap law and the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) -- a 2000 law that prohibits web companies from collecting personal data from children under 13, without parental consent. That law tasks the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general with enforcement, but does not allow for suits by private individuals.

A company spokesperson says Roblox “prioritizes safety and aims to provide a secure, civil and welcoming platform for all.”

“We are committed to protecting our youngest users, undergoing regular third-party audits of our policies and practices to certify that Roblox has safety measures in place and is COPPA-compliant,” the spokesperson stated.

The company also says in its privacy policy that it does not collect or use personal information about users under the age of 13 for advertising or marketing purposes.