Roblox CEO David Baszucki sparked outrage after calling the platform’s predator crisis an “opportunity,” overshadowing new safety measures and deepening concerns about the company’s priorities.
Roblox CEO David Baszucki is facing fierce backlash after describing the platform’s predator problem as an “opportunity” for the studio as it rolls out stricter age-verification measures to address mounting child-safety concerns.
The sandbox game, which has more than 150 million daily users, is overwhelmingly populated by children and teens.
Yet Roblox remains under intense scrutiny, as three U.S. states – Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas – have sued the company over child-safety failures this year, and more than 20 federal lawsuits accuse Roblox of enabling sexual exploitation.
A report last year found over 13,000 instances of child exploitation were flagged internally.
Baszucki’s interview with the New York Times’ podcast Hard Fork was meant to spotlight Roblox’s new safety tools, including mandatory age estimation via video selfies and expanded AI-powered moderation.
Instead, the CEO drew criticism for framing the crisis as a growth moment.
He said: “We think of it not necessarily just as a problem, but an opportunity as well… How do we build the future of communication?”
Pressed repeatedly on whether Roblox has a predator problem, Baszucki avoided a direct answer, insisting instead that the company is “doing an incredible job” innovating at scale.
At points he appeared more eager to highlight engagement numbers – 11 billion hours of use per month – than to acknowledge safety failures, dodging questions about predators bypassing moderation systems.
The interview veered further off-course when Baszucki entertained the idea of prediction-market games inside Roblox – effectively letting kids place bets – calling it a “brilliant idea” if designed legally and educationally.
The response online has been swift and scathing.
For critics, the interview underscores why outside regulation has grown unavoidable: Roblox is racing to expand AI features and user engagement, even as it struggles to convincingly reassure parents that the platform is safe for children.
Roblox CEO says predator problem is an ‘opportunity’ for the studio
