Roblox is a kid's website. My boy started playing on the site about 2 years ago, when he was only 8 years old. He's now 10 and is a veteran of this site. Over the years, whenever we have had problems with Roblox, they have been difficult to contact; e.G., they will NOT answer their phone (it's a recording), will NOT call you back (only respond via email), etc.
The specific issue that was "the last straw" for me happened this past month. I had paid $20 for a month of "Outrageous Builders Club" membership for my boy, who frankly loves Roblox. He did "something, " it's still not clear to me what, and they suspended him for 14 days. He was embarrassed and didn't want to tell dad and mom; so, it literally took me 10 days (into the 14 day suspension) to even find out that he wasn't allowed on Roblox.
I got details on his infraction, which involved buying or selling something that Roblox doesn't allow you to buy or sell on the website. I contacted Roblox. I made the following points:
1. Roblox is a free-for-all of kids showing utter and complete disregard for the rules! There's profanity, illegal buying and selling, and worst of all, a variety of scams on this site whereby kids can actually steal other kids "robux" (Roblox "currency" to be used for legal purchases).
2. The scammers pass their scams on to other kids (again, 7,8, 9,10 year old kids are being victimized by these scams or TAUGHT these scams).
3. Roblox does NOT notify the parents of any bad behavior! Ever! So, again, I know for a fact that my kid broke the rules. He admits it and was punished. My thing was...
A) You suspend my kid for HALF the month of a $20 membership and never say a word to me?
B) That's an insanely long suspension for a child on a kid's website
C) It becomes even more impactful when you consider the cost of their membership!
D) I know for a fact that worse, far worse, than my kid trying to sell something he shouldn't have goes on with other kids on Roblox and at least in one case, the kid was not suspended; e.G., we had to go through the BBB to get 3,700 Robux refunded to my boy after a kid scammed him out of them. Roblox wouldn't even respond to my emails! They only took action after I complained to the BBB. And... The kid who stole my boy's Robux admitted it in Roblox chat sessions numerous times and was... Never suspended.
4. I wrote Roblox outlining my complaints. I should have been notified; it was an overly strong suspension, etc. I told them either restore 10 days of the suspension or I was done with their site. The "customer service" representative said simply, "Nope."
5. I am done with Roblox. They are a fly-by-night company that has somehow managed to create a very popular website with kids. But they are not professional in dealing with customer-service issues, they do not keep parents informed, they do not constistenly enforce rules across the board, and they do nothing to stop the scams, bad behavior, etc. If you turn your kid loose on Roblox, you had better beware: You are on your own to monitor every aspect of his or her behavior. Roblox does not help and Roblox acts any way Roblox sees fit.
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