{
  "_about": "Master chronology for the Plaintext series on Roblox. kind: legal, policy, reporting, incident, market, government. src values are aliases defined below, resolved to URLs in the source register.",
  "aliases": {
    "wiki": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_safety_on_Roblox",
    "clans": "https://roblox.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_famous_clan_bases",
    "kym": "https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/da-hood-roblox",
    "vice": "https://www.vice.com/en/article/roblox-beaming-hackers/",
    "vgc": "https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/roblox-reported-over-13000-incidents-of-child-exploitation-in-2023",
    "techcrunch": "https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/18/roblox-children-gambling-class-action-lawsuit-robux/",
    "courthouse": "https://courthousenews.com/by-allowing-third-party-casinos-roblox-failed-to-protect-minors-judge-rules/",
    "fortune": "https://fortune.com/2024/10/09/roblox-hindenburg-research-report-pedophile-hellscape",
    "bnn": "https://bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/11/06/roblox-will-ban-kids-under-13-from-social-hangouts",
    "devex": "https://about.roblox.com/newsroom/2026/04/roblox-fuels-high-fidelity-games-over-18-players-increases-qualifying-devex-rate-42",
    "mealeys": "https://www.mealeys.com/mealeys/articles/2407453",
    "tnw": "https://thenextweb.com/news/roblox-age-gated-account-tiers-kids-select-child-safety",
    "techtimes": "https://www.techtimes.com/articles/315951/20260417/roblox-agrees-12m-settlement-rolls-out-new-child-safety-age-verification-features.htm",
    "adoptme": "https://x.com/PlayAdoptMe/status/1246626367338434561",
    "d_wiki": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discord",
    "d_764": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/764_(organization)",
    "d_nbc": "https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/discord-child-safety-social-platform-challenges-rcna89769",
    "d_buffalo": "https://atlantablackstar.com/2022/05/19/it-was-not-a-joke-buffalo-massacre-suspect-shared-five-months-worth-of-plans-with-group-30-minutes-before-attack-no-one-alerted-authorities/",
    "d_trm": "https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/trms-analysis-of-recent-surge-in-discord-hacks-shows-some-attacks-are-connected",
    "d_teens": "https://discord.com/safety/safer-place-for-teens",
    "d_ic3": "https://ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250306",
    "d_gma": "https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/fbi-has-opened-250-investigations-tied-to-violent-online-network-764-that-preys-on-teens-top-official-says-121480884",
    "d_nj": "https://6abc.com/post/new-jersey-attorney-general-files-lawsuit-social-media-site-discord/16192528/",
    "d_uk": "https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/07/25/discord-video-game-characters-age-verification-checks-uk-online-safety-act",
    "d_breach": "https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/70000-government-id-photos-exposed-discord-user-hack-rcna236714",
    "d_hns": "https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/02/10/discord-age-verification-settings/",
    "d_tc": "https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/24/discord-delays-global-rollout-of-age-verification-after-backlash/",
    "d_nevada": "https://fox5vegas.com/2026/05/06/nevada-ag-aaron-ford-sues-discord-alleging-platform-failed-protect-children/",
    "d_texas": "https://abc13.com/post/texas-sues-discord-arguing-online-messaging-platform-endangered-children-misled-users/19163557/",
    "d_order": "https://www.fox4news.com/news/texas-forces-discord-implement-uk-style-age-verification-safety-rules",
    "d_brazil": "https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/direitos-humanos/noticia/2026-08/discord-suspends-livestreams-comply-brazils-requirements",
    "d_mwb": "https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/01/can-you-try-a-game-i-made-fake-game-sites-lead-to-information-stealers",
    "d_oversight": "https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Discord-CEO-invite.pdf"
  },
  "events": [
    {
      "date": "2008–2013",
      "kind": "market",
      "text": "War clans, military-styled groups with ranks, tryouts and raidable forts, become an established part of Roblox. One group's recruitment centre peaks at about 750 concurrent players in May 2013.",
      "src": [
        "clans"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2015-05",
      "kind": "market",
      "text": "Discord launches.",
      "src": [
        "d_wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2017-08",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "The Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, is organised on Discord. Discord closes white-nationalist servers afterwards.",
      "src": [
        "d_wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2018",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "United Arab Emirates temporarily blocks Roblox, the first such action in the Middle East.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2018 onward",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "Start of the period in which Bloomberg later counts at least 24 US arrests for abducting or abusing children groomed on Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2019",
      "kind": "market",
      "text": "Da Hood launches and establishes the hood-game genre.",
      "src": [
        "kym"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2020-04",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Adopt Me's developers state publicly that trust trades are scams and that trading items for Robux or money leads to bans.",
      "src": [
        "adoptme"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2020-10",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Roblox reports about 1,600 content moderators.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2021",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "A Roman-themed role-play group is reported to be run on openly fascist lines, with about a third of its leaders holding such views.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2021-08-19",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "School stabbing in Eslöv, Sweden, by a 15-year-old who had met a co-conspirator on Roblox about six years earlier.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2021-11",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Roblox sues the YouTuber Ruben Sim for $1.6 million. The case later settles for $150,000 and a permanent ban.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2021-12-13",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "People Make Games publishes its second investigation, including an interview with a victim of an adult Roblox developer who was later sentenced to 15 years.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2021",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "The coercion network 764 is founded on Discord by a 15-year-old in Texas.",
      "src": [
        "d_764"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-01-10",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "School attack in Kristianstad, Sweden, by a 16-year-old in close contact with the Eslöv attacker through Roblox and social media.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-02-14",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "Vice publishes Joseph Cox's investigation into beaming and the underground market in stolen limiteds.",
      "src": [
        "vice"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2022",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "Roblox files almost 3,000 reports with NCMEC for the year.",
      "src": [
        "vgc"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-05-14",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "Buffalo supermarket attack. The gunman had kept his plans in a private Discord server and invited a small group about 30 minutes beforehand.",
      "src": [
        "d_buffalo"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-06",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "A compromised account in the Bored Ape Yacht Club Discord server leads to the theft of more than $360,000 in tokens.",
      "src": [
        "d_trm"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-10",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "A parent sues Roblox in San Francisco Superior Court, alleging the platform connected her daughter to predators who then used Discord and Snapchat.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "A Pennsylvania State University study finds hood games promote stereotypes of Black people and of poverty.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "Roblox files more than 13,000 reports with NCMEC for the year.",
      "src": [
        "vgc"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023-08",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Colvin v. Roblox filed: a class action accusing Roblox of profiting from third-party Robux casinos used by minors.",
      "src": [
        "techcrunch"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "Classified US military documents spread from a small Discord server run by a member of the Air National Guard.",
      "src": [
        "d_wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023-05",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "The founder of 764 is sentenced to 80 years in prison in Texas.",
      "src": [
        "d_764"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023-06-21",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "NBC News counts 35 prosecutions for kidnapping, grooming or sexual assault involving Discord, and 165 more involving abuse material or sextortion.",
      "src": [
        "d_nbc"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023-09",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "The FBI issues its first public warning about 764.",
      "src": [
        "d_764"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2023-10-24",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Discord announces Teen Safety Assist: warnings on first messages from strangers and blurred sensitive images for teenagers.",
      "src": [
        "d_teens"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-03",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Colvin v. Roblox: racketeering claims dismissed; negligence claim allowed to proceed.",
      "src": [
        "courthouse"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-03",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "The Washington Post, Wired, Der Spiegel and Recorder publish a joint investigation into 764. Discord says it removed more than 34,000 linked accounts.",
      "src": [
        "d_wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-07",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "Bloomberg Businessweek publishes its eight-month investigation into child exploitation on Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-08",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Turkey blocks Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-10-08",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "Hindenburg Research publishes its short-seller report, alleging inflated user numbers and widespread child-safety failures.",
      "src": [
        "fortune"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-10-08",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Russia blocks Discord. Turkey follows within hours.",
      "src": [
        "d_wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-11-06",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Roblox announces under-13s will be barred from social hangout experiences.",
      "src": [
        "bnn"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-11-18",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Roblox announces direct messages to under-13s will be blocked by default, with new parental controls and content labels.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-01",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "Malwarebytes documents the \"can you try a game I made?\" malware campaign on Discord.",
      "src": [
        "d_mwb"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-02",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Bloomberg reports a US Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-03",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "Chief executive David Baszucki tells parents who are uncomfortable not to let their children use Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-03-06",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "The FBI publishes a warning of a sharp increase in activity by 764 and similar networks, with signs for parents.",
      "src": [
        "d_ic3"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-04-17",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "New Jersey files the first state lawsuit against Discord.",
      "src": [
        "d_nj"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-05-06",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "The FBI says it has more than 250 investigations into 764 and related networks, across all 55 field offices.",
      "src": [
        "d_gma"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-07-17",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Trusted Connections announced, with facial age estimation for teenagers.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-07-25",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Discord begins age checks for users in the United Kingdom as the Online Safety Act's rules take effect.",
      "src": [
        "d_uk"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-08",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Roblox bans the YouTuber Schlep, who ran sting operations against adults soliciting children. Creators leave its video programme in protest and the share price falls more than 10%.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-08",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Louisiana files the first state lawsuit against Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-08",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Qatar and Kuwait block Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-08",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Hangout games with private spaces restricted to ID-verified users aged 17 and over.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-09-05",
      "kind": "market",
      "text": "Developer cash-out rate rises from $0.0035 to $0.0038 per Robux.",
      "src": [
        "devex"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-09",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Algeria blocks Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-09",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "A US House committee invites the chief executives of Discord, Steam, Twitch and Reddit to testify on online radicalisation.",
      "src": [
        "d_oversight"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-10",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Kentucky files suit.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-10",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Iraq blocks Roblox.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-10-03",
      "kind": "incident",
      "text": "Discord discloses a breach of a customer-support contractor. It later says about 70,000 users' identity documents were exposed.",
      "src": [
        "d_breach"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-11",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Texas files suit.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-11",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Colvin v. Roblox: further claims dismissed.",
      "src": [
        "mealeys"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-11-18",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Roblox announces that all chat will require an age check by ID or facial estimation.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-12",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Iowa and Tennessee file suit.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-12",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Russia blocks Roblox. Age checks become mandatory in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-12",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Canada and New Zealand designate 764 a terrorist entity.",
      "src": [
        "d_764"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-01",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Age checks for chat become mandatory worldwide. Age-verified accounts appear for sale within days.",
      "src": [
        "wiki",
        "tnw"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-02",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Los Angeles County files suit. Georgia opens an investigation.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-02",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "The FBI's Boston office warns of extremist networks such as 764 targeting children through games. Egypt moves to a full ban.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-02-10",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Discord announces teen-by-default settings and age checks for every account worldwide from March.",
      "src": [
        "d_hns"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-02-24",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "After a backlash, Discord delays worldwide age checks to the second half of 2026.",
      "src": [
        "d_tc"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-02-27",
      "kind": "reporting",
      "text": "Chris Hansen's documentary on Roblox is released.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-03-04",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Nebraska files suit.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-04-07",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "The Philippines drops its planned ban after Roblox promises enhanced safeguards.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-04-15",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Nevada settles: $10 million for children's programmes plus $2.5 million for an awareness campaign.",
      "src": [
        "wiki",
        "techtimes"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-04-21",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Alabama ($12.2 million) and West Virginia ($11.08 million) settle.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-04",
      "kind": "market",
      "text": "Roblox announces a 42% higher cash-out rate for eligible spending by adult US players.",
      "src": [
        "devex"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-05",
      "kind": "policy",
      "text": "Kids, Select and Standard account tiers begin rolling out.",
      "src": [
        "tnw"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-05-07",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Indiana sues Roblox and Discord.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-05",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Two advocacy groups file a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission. Connecticut opens an investigation.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-05",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Nevada and Texas sue Discord.",
      "src": [
        "d_nevada",
        "d_texas"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-06-22",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Arkansas sues Roblox and Discord. Mississippi settles for $9 million.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-07-13",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "South Dakota settles for $8.6 million.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-07",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Discord agrees to a temporary injunction in Texas: UK-style age checks and defaults for Texas users within 90 days.",
      "src": [
        "d_order"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-08-10",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "Ohio files suit.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-08-12",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Brazil's data protection authority orders Discord to suspend livestreaming and video after the death of a 13-year-old girl. Discord complies on 17 August.",
      "src": [
        "d_brazil"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-08-13",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "US Senators Durbin and Hawley open an inquiry.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-08-19",
      "kind": "government",
      "text": "Australia's eSafety commissioner finds adults can still view children's accounts and send requests; Roblox makes further commitments.",
      "src": [
        "wiki"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-08",
      "kind": "legal",
      "text": "A Tennessee man linked to 764 is sentenced to 77 years in prison.",
      "src": [
        "d_764"
      ]
    }
  ]
}