Michigan family says girl was targeted by predator. Suit filed against Roblox, Snapchat

The mom of a Muskegon County woman has filed a lawsuit towards the Roblox Company and Snap Inc., the maker of Snapchat, for failing to guard the woman and different kids from interactions with a “predator” who pressured the woman to share nude images of herself.

The Dolman Regulation Group, which has places of work in Florida, Texas and New York, filed a lawsuit Jan. 22 within the U.S. District Court docket for the Northern District of California, alleging that the businesses “prioritize monetary acquire over youngster welfare.”

“This case towards Roblox is a chilling reminder of the world we dwell in, the place capitalist greed far outpaces humanity,” mentioned legal professional Matthew Dolman of Dolman Regulation Group. “Ample security measures and protocols had been by no means put in place, placing our most weak communities in unimaginable hazard each second of day by day. With out forcing systemic change, Roblox will proceed to function anarchistically.”

The legislation agency mentioned it represents people cases against Roblox all through the USA.

Neither Roblox nor Snap Inc. have responded to the lawsuit filed by the Michigan household.

The lawsuit doesn’t say what occurred to the one who focused the woman and obtained the images.

As of December 2025, attorneys common throughout the nation – in states comparable to LouisianaKentucky, Texas, South Carolina and Florida – took a more in-depth take a look at Roblox. On the similar time, there have been nearly 80 lively lawsuits towards Roblox claims related to sexual predationUSA TODAY reported.

That is what the Michigan lawsuit is about.

Based on the lawsuit, what occurred?

Based on the lawsuit, the woman, now 16, was an avid consumer of Roblox and Snapchat. She and her mom are recognized within the lawsuit as Janes Doe.

“Believing that correct safeguards had been in place, Doe’s mom allowed her daughter to make use of the web gaming and social media platforms, counting on the businesses’ representations relating to youngster security,” the legislation agency mentioned in a information launch. “Throughout her daughter’s use of Roblox in 2024, it’s alleged that the 15-year-old unknowingly encountered a harmful male predator – disguised as a peer – who started to construct belief and groomed Doe whereas encouraging her to proceed their interactions on Snapchat.

“As soon as on Snapchat, it’s alleged that the predator escalated his conduct by manipulating the minor into sending sexually specific and totally nude images of himself,” the legislation agency added.

“Plaintiff’s household didn’t study the reality till it was too late. Plaintiff’s mom found that Roblox and Snapchat had enabled a baby predator to determine, groom, and coerce Plaintiff into sending sexually specific pictures of herself,” the lawsuit mentioned.

Why is the household blaming Roblox and Snapchat?

The criticism alleges that the businesses knew that “…the design of their apps makes kids straightforward prey for pedophiles, and Defendants didn’t have acceptable safeguards in place to make sure that kids had been really protected or that predators had been screened.

“For years, Roblox has served as the web platform of selection for predators searching for to search out, groom, abuse and exploit kids,” the lawsuit mentioned. “Roblox gives predators with quick access to tens of hundreds of thousands of youngsters and permits these predators to maneuver freely between inappropriate content material and common video games to determine and goal weak younger customers. In doing so, Roblox has demonstrated reckless indifference to its basic obligation to not create and foster an setting that locations kids at vital threat of sexual exploitation.”

The lawsuit additionally alleges that whereas Snapchat boasts about its youngster security options, it has didn’t ship on these guarantees.

“Whereas Snap assures dad and mom that it has zero tolerance for content material or conduct that endangers kids and that the app is constructed on security, the corporate has the truth is created and perpetuated an setting wherein youngster sexual exploitation is rampant and prospers. The outcome has been devastating, with numerous kids struggling irreversible hurt,” the criticism alleges.

What does the household need by way of the lawsuit?

“This motion seeks to carry Roblox and Snap accountable for recklessly and deceptively working companies in a way that resulted within the sexual exploitation and repeated harassment of Plaintiff,” the criticism mentioned.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified financial damages in extra of $75,000 from Roblox and Snapchat as a result of they “suffered profound hurt from the grooming, manipulation, and exploitation she skilled on the apps.”

The woman skilled severe psychological well being issues, the lawsuit alleges, together with melancholy, nervousness and issue trusting others, the discharge alleges, in addition to humiliation and disgrace, and “a profound lack of safety and innocence.”

What’s Roblox?

Roblox Company, a Delaware registered firm, operates from San Mateo, California.

The role-playing sport is accessible on each the Apple App Retailer and Google Play.

Based on the Apple descriptionThe sport permits people to discover, create, role-play, compete or hang around with mates. Gamers can take part in adventures, simulations, impediment programs, a number of video games, multiplayer battles, run a enterprise, create avatars, take part in events, design video games and extra.

Based on RoMonitor statistics, the app has 10.4 billion registered accounts and 151.5 million lively every day customers.

Roblox has nearly 83 million daily active usersAnd 42% of the worldwide participant base is below the age of 13, which means roughly 34.9 million kids play day by day, USA TODAY reported this. Based in 2006, the web platform now hosts greater than 40 million video games, also referred to as ‘experiences’. Robux, the in-game forex, powers these digital realities, and gamers use this in-game cash to buy new avatars and equipment, or to get premium in-game options in common video games like Develop a Backyard or Costume to Impress.

What’s Snapchat?

Snap Inc., a Delaware registered firm, operates from San Francisco, California.

The app is accessible by way of each Apple and Google.

The app allows users to take images with their telephone’s digital camera and share them with the individual they join with. You’ll be able to apply filters to alter your look in numerous methods. A map function means that you can share your location with individuals.

Pictures typically disappear after a brief time frame, however there are methods to avoid wasting “snaps” for later viewing.

Based on Snap’s newsroom, the app more than 900 million month-to-month customers in 2025.