Roblox, Discord users alleging childhood sexual abuse fight arbitration bid
RBLX•People who say they were sexually abused as children by adults they met on Roblox are asking a federal judge to reject the companies’ bid to send their lawsuits to arbitration. Roblox and Discord face 180 lawsuits, and a hearing on arbitration is set for January.
1. Plaintiffs challenge arbitration
Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued in a filing that the End Forced Arbitration Act bars Roblox and Discord from enforcing terms-of-service clauses requiring disputes to be decided outside court. The companies say the law applies to workplace disputes, not claims against online services over alleged conduct by users.
2. 180 lawsuits centralized
The cases accuse the companies of failing to make their platforms safer. The plaintiffs say adults connected with minors on Roblox and often moved conversations to Discord to coerce children into sending sexual content or arrange in-person meetings. Both companies deny liability for their users’ actions and argue that users agreed to their terms. A federal judge centralized the cases in San Francisco and set a January hearing on arbitration.
