Video Chris Hansen: 22 Years of Catching Predators | Planet Tyrus Investigative legend Chris Hansen joins Planet Tyrus to expose predator tactics on Roblox. He discusses the rise of sextortion, corporate negligence, and modern trafficking, reflecting on 22 years of stings from McDonald’s to today’s digital world.
Investigative journalist Chris Hansen warns parents about Roblox, comparing it to an amusement park where "kids are flying off" the rides.
The "To Catch a Predator" host sat down for the "Planet Tyrus" podcast to explain his findings and what he claims is a surge of grooming on the site. Hansen noted that the platform’s visual style, which features cartoon, customizable avatars, often masks the underlying dangers.
"It was shocking to me that you have this kids' game with characters that appear to be so innocent, like Lego characters, but I guess it just goes to show that predators will go wherever the children are," Hansen said.
Roblox is a gaming giant used by millions of children and teenagers. The company is facing a wave of legal challenges, including a lawsuit involving more than 140 people who argue the game’s design, such as open chat and private spaces, aided predators.
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Chris Hansen visited Build Studio to discuss "Crime Watch Daily" on May 9, 2017, in New York City. (Mike Pont/WireImage)
Several state attorneys general have also launched lawsuits against the company, accusing it of prioritizing profits over user safety.
Hansen investigated the platform for his streaming network, digging into allegations of child exploitation. He said today’s digital landscape is far more dangerous for children than early internet chatrooms.
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"People ask, ‘Is the problem worse today than it was 22 years ago?’ The answer is yes, it's way worse because there are so many different platforms upon which adults can approach children," Hansen said.
A spokesperson for Roblox told Fox News Digital that "safety is at the core of everything we do," and noted they have a "multi-layered defense system" blending technology and strict policy enforcement to keep young people safe.
"We have always completely blocked the sharing of images or videos in chat and use rigorous filters designed to prevent the exchange of personal information," the company added.
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However, Hansen called for greater accountability from the game developers meant to protect "vulnerable children."
"If kids are flying off a ride at an amusement park left and right, they have a responsibility to make that ride safer so kids aren't flying off the ride. Roblox has a similar responsibility," he said.
Roblox rolls out a new AI system that analyzes entire scenes in real time to detect harmful content across its platform. (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Roblox has countered safety concerns, saying it has instituted safeguards such as content moderation, parental controls and age verification. It said that since January, it has required users to complete age checks to chat on the platform, limiting interaction to users of a similar age or people they already know.
"We take swift action against anyone found to violate our community standards and collaborate closely with law enforcement to hold bad actors accountable. While no system can be perfect, we will never stop innovating around safety and working with trusted partners to make Roblox better and safer."
Madison is a writer for Fox News Digital on the Flash team.
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