As Roblox comes under fire for failing to enact proper protocols to protect children on its site, millions of parents around the world have started to question whether this platform is actually safe for their children. The online platform contains some of the most popular games in the world, with over 100 million daily active users. Countless players have joined in on sharing their concerns about the safety of the platform, hosting in-game protests and donning new display names in the hopes of Roblox taking more safety measures to protect minors on their platform, and specifically, rectifying what they had done to YouTuber Schlep.
Michael Andrew, known online by his YouTube name Schlep, has been exposing child predators on Roblox since 2023. By creating decoy accounts, pretending to be a minor, and working with law enforcement, his work has led to the arrests of several child predators.
On August 9, 2025, Schlep was permanently banned from Roblox for violating Roblox’s Terms of Use and Safety/Community Standards. Roblox stated that Schlep had interfered with the platform’s safety protocols. His ban resulted in immediate public backlash. #FreeSchlep emerged as a popular slogan on social media, and many popular content creators such as Cr1TiKaL and KreekCraft publicly condemned these actions on their channels. Roblox is also facing legal action, with Congressman Ro Khanna and the Attorney General of Louisiana, Liz Murril, filing lawsuits against the company for failing to protect children from harmful content and child predators. Schlep has also announced that he would be working with legal representation, including famous YouTuber LawByMike, to countersue Roblox, claiming negligence and suppression of evidence.
Despite all the legal pressure, Roblox maintains its current stance, stating that vigilante groups (which they claim Schlep to be part of) can disrupt evidence chains, expose users, and circumvent the platform’s moderation. They claim that the operations that Schlep has engaged in put the safety of their users in jeopardy.
This controversy brings up the fundamental issue regarding whether or not Roblox, a game widely considered to be for kids, is even safe for kids. With so many online users active at any given time, how can Roblox ensure that children are not exposed to unsafe content?
“Roblox only wants to make money,” said Shubh Bachkethi (10).
Countless concerned parents and members of the community have expressed a similar opinion, some even pushing as far as calling for the CEO of Roblox to step down.
As of now, Roblox is under heightened scrutiny from regulators, the media, and its user community over its child-safety practices. The ongoing legal battles have severely impacted Roblox’s public perception, damaging its stock and brand reputation.
No one can say for certain what will happen to Roblox, so for now, the world can only wait for the verdict that will either save or destroy the company for good.