A UK online safety expert has warned parents about hit children's gaming platform Roblox after a shock US report branding it an 'X-rated paedophile hellscape'.
The popular online site has been accused of exposing children to 'grooming, pornography and violent content'.
Hindenburg Research issued damning findings after a lengthy investigation into the controversial platform which has no set age restrictions.
Roblox has become successful with young children - offering a series of different games and interactive tools, as well as the ability to create your own challenges.
But a new study has raised concerns about inappropriate links which are at a child's fingertips when accessing the site.
Popular online gaming platform Roblox has been criticised in a new report branding it an 'X-rated paedophile hellscape'
Roblox has become successful with young children - offering a series of different games and interactive tools, as well as the ability to create your own challenges
But the website has been accused of exposing children to 'grooming, pornography and violent content', according to new research
The report states: 'Core to the problem is that Roblox's social media features allow paedophiles to efficiently target hundreds of children, with no up-front screening to prevent them from joining the platform.'
It also says there are 'digital strip clubs, red light districts, sex parties and child predators lurking on Roblox'.
And the US-based platform is accused by investment firm Hindenburg Research, which carried out the probe, of being 'an X-rated pedophile hellscape, exposing children to grooming, pornography, violent content and extremely abusive speech'.
Colin Stitt, head of the Safer Schools campaign at INEQE Safeguarding Group, the largest independent safeguarding organisation in the UK and Ireland, has now urged parents to beware of potential dangers.
He told MailOnline today: 'The report is a stark reminder that we can't simply assume a platform is safe for children just because it looks child-friendly.
'Parents and carers need to be proactive and educate themselves about the potential risks their children may face online, including exposure to inappropriate content, online predators, and harmful social interactions.
'It's crucial for parents and carers to have open and honest conversations with their children about online safety, empowering them to navigate digital spaces responsibly.
'This includes teaching them how to block and report users and content, and encouraging them to talk to a trusted adult if they encounter anything upsetting online.
'Remember, safeguarding our children in the digital world requires a collaborative effort.
Investment firm Hindenburg Research has accused Roblox of 'exposing children to grooming, pornography, violent content and extremely abusive speech'
Colin Stitt (pictured), head of the Safer Schools campaign at INEQE Safeguarding Group, has now urged parents to beware of potential dangers when children access the online platform
Youngsters on 'child accounts' - that is, under the age of 13 - have been able to search 'adult' to find inappropriate content, critics say
'Parents, carers, educators, and platforms like Roblox all have a role to play in creating a safer and more positive online experience for young people.'
Hindenburg Research teams investigating Roblox attempted to create accounts using names of infamous child molesters and criminals.
They tried to set one up under the name of Earl Brian Bradley - a paedophile convicted of molesting 103 children - but found the username was already taken, along with a host of variants, including earlbrianbradley69.
There were 900 variations of the name Jeffrey Epstein, after the late US billionaire tycoon and convicted paedophile, plus 600 hits when searching 'Diddy' games.
Some of these games were titled 'Diddy Party', 'Run from Diddy Simulator' and, separately, 'Escape to Epstein Island.'
Youngsters on 'child accounts' - that is, under the age of 13 - were also able to search 'adult' to find inappropriate content.
According to Roblox, 21 per cent of users are under the age of nine.
Researchers have now said they were easily able to track down games and groups trading child pornography and soliciting sexual favors.
Researchers looking into Roblox have found hundreds of variations of the name Jeffrey Epstein and 600 hits when searching 'Diddy' games
The late US tycoon and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, pictured here with Ghislaine Maxwell, was accused of multiple offences of abusing teenage girls
Games were named after the so-called 'Epstein Island' in the United States Virgin Islands
Roblox self-reported more than 13,000 incidents of child exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children least year.
The new research refers to various high profile cases of paedophiles using Roblox to groom victims.
In Wales in 2018, a 29-year-old man was arrested for grooming 150 children via the game.
Another man was charged in New Jersey after he kidnapped an 11-year-old girl he met while playing the game - later pleading guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
Police told how Darius Matylewich took the girl from her home town after chatting on multiple gaming platforms, including Roblox.
And Arnold Castillo, 23 and also from New Jersey, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in 2023 after admitting transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and coercion and enticement of a minor.
He paid for an Uber to pick the 15-year-old girl up and bring her across state lines to his home, before sexually abusing her and trying to purchase 'Plan B' to ensure she did not fall pregnant.
Roblox has previously faced criticism from celebrities including ex-Brookside star Claire Sweeney, who told social media how her son was almost scammed online.
The actress revealed on X, formerly Twitter, in December 2022 that seven-year-old Jaxon was playing on Roblox when she saw he had been sent a message instructing him to reveal her credit card numbers.
Anunidentified 11-year-old girl from Wayne, New Jersey was kidnapped and taken across state lines by 27-year-oldDarius Matylewich toBear, Delaware, after chatting on Roblox
Roblox said in response to the new criticisms: 'We totally reject the claims made in the report'
She posted: 'Parents out there, anyone’s kids play Roblox? Yesterday my son was playing, and I saw on the chat in the corner,someone was asking him to go to my purse, take out my credit card and read the numbers!!
'@Roblox seems a dangerous place for kids. Thankfully he told me!'
She was flooded with messages from other worried parents, while broadcaster Jeremy Vine replied: 'Did a piece on this @BBCRadio2! Horrible stories.
'One 13yr-old encouraged to run away from home to meet "a teenage girl" who turned out to be a large man in the Czech Republic.'
Earlier that same year, Kim Kardashian threatened to sue Roblox after her son Saint, then aged six, saw an ad for her 'unreleased' sex tape.
The reality TV star was left shocked as she saw Saint laughing at his iPad while playing Roblox. only to see a picture of her crying face on the screen captioned with the words 'Kim's New Sex Tape'.
She said at the time: 'Thank God he can't f***ing read yet.
'And it's like, over my dead body is this s**t going to happen to me again. I just want it gone. This is not gonna f*** with me. It's not, so I just want it gone.'
Roblox said it removed the room and banned its creator - and no sex tape was ever available.
Now aRoblox spokesperson said in a statement in response to the new criticisms by Hindenburg Research: 'We totally reject the claims made in the report.
'Safety and civility have been foundational to Roblox since our inception nearly two decades ago, and we have invested heavily throughout our history in our Trust & Safety efforts.
'Every day, tens of millions of people of all ages have a safe and positive experience on Roblox, abiding by our Community Standards.
'We take any content or behavior on the platform that doesn’t abide by our standards extremely seriously and we have a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent malicious or harmful activity on our platform.'