13 May 2026
Briefing Notes
Briefing Note: Epstein Islands and other violent crime recreations on Roblox
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13 May 2026
Full Reports
Epstein Islands and other violent crime recreations on Roblox
Roblox is one of the world’s largest digital platforms, with an average of 151 million daily active users—of whom 56% are under the age of 17. This report presents the results of an exploratory study of user-generated violent and sexual crime recreations on Roblox conducted in April 2026. Using keyword searches on Roblox and other social media platforms, we found evidence of avatars, digital environments, and role-play activities themed around real-world violent and sexual crimes. While Roblox formally prohibits this type of content under its community standards, a growing body of evidence suggests that virtual world crime recreations are part of a recurring pattern of content that is not fully addressed by existing moderation systems, reflecting an inherent problem with Roblox’s user-generated content model. The report concludes with a summary of the key content moderation, regulatory, and policy challenges raised by these findings.
13 May 2026
Briefing Notes
Briefing Note: How Roblox pressures children to spend money
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25 March 2026
Full Reports
Misleading and Deceptive Monetisation in Roblox: Evidence of False Pricing, Manipulative Design, and Consumer Harm in a Children's Digital Platform
Roblox is one of the world's largest digital platforms for children, generating most of its revenue through microtransactions purchased with the virtual currency Robux. This report examines how monetisation is designed and experienced in popular Roblox games, focusing on misleading, deceptive, and manipulative practices that may cause consumer harm. Based on qualitative gameplay analysis of 15 top‑earning Roblox games conducted between October 2025 and February 2026, the study documents fourteen misleading, deceptive or unfair monetisation practices. The report argues that these practices raise serious consumer protection concerns, particularly given Roblox's predominantly child user base and the platform's active role in shaping and profiting from these monetisation systems.
30 September 2024
Full Reports
Disability in the Metaverse
This research investigates the accessibility challenges and opportunities for people with disabilities in Virtual Reality (VR) environments. Conducted from June 2023 to June 2024, the study involved 102 survey respondents and 21 in-depth interviews with VR users with disabilities, alongside 20 VR industry experts. Key findings highlight the ways current VR systems are designed around normative assumptions about bodies, often excluding those with physical, visual, neurological, and cognitive impairments. The research also notes the underrepresentation of complex care needs in existing accessibility research and the limited efforts to incorporate assistive devices in VR design. The report suggests that a more inclusive approach to VR development—one that integrates feedback from disabled users during the design process—would benefit not only disabled but also non-disabled users. The study concludes with six key recommendations for improving VR accessibility, including fostering direct communication with disabled users, providing flexible interaction options, and ensuring that VR hardware and software are designed with a wide spectrum of disabilities in mind.