Legislators studying the issue of children’s health online have repeatedly criticized the lack of a special game software at a Texas House committee hear, whose information simulating the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde sparked a new time charge.
Roblox was established in 2006 as a well-known online game studio where people could make and perform their own game, with about 40 % of its users under the age of 13. Due to the fact that the issue involved a game that had been discovered on its platform, the Roblox Corporation’s failure to appear for a Texas House State Affairs Committee reading on Tuesday was constantly criticized.
In late April, House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock ) released a supplemental interim charge for lawmakers to consider before the 90th Legislative Session, titled” Protecting Minors on Gaming Platforms.”
This was made in response to state representative Don McLaughlin’s (R-Uvalde ), the former mayor of Uvalde, who had discovered some content on the Roblox platform that simulated the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting, which claimed the lives of 19 children.
This fee was designated as one of the committee’s two focuses for the day at Tuesday’s hearing, and Roblox was among those people who were invited to testify and be interrogated.
One of the testimony seats had a file that read” Reserved for Roblox,” with the latter word outlined and strong. Rep. Ken King (R-Canada ) repeatedly instructed attendees to leave the space empty to make sure Roblox would “feel welcome.”
A Roblox spokesperson responded to an inquiry about their absence from the hearing in a statement shared with The Texan on Tuesday evening, saying they have” a strong complex security program” and that they share” Texas legislators ‘ deep commitment to keeping kids safe online.”
We have written in-depth written evidence to the Texas House and Senate State Affairs Committees regarding our industry-leading safety and protection plans, and we will continue to work with politicians in a constructive way,” they said.
In its time fees, the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs held a hearing on Monday that covered the issue of virtual protection for youngsters.
Roblox’s Chief Legal Officer Mark Reinstra wrote,” While we are glad to cooperate further on this subject, as we hope you can appreciate, pending dispute limits our supply for live testimony at this time,” in their five pages of written testimony, which was also shared with The Texan and submitted to King about 10 days before the hearing.
Roblox is the subject of a number of claims because of its alleged neglect of minor safety and abuse. In November 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed several lawsuits against the business, including one brought by Galveston families who claimed their child was” carefully groomed and sexually abused” on the system.
Reinstra addressed the Uvalde shooting model activity as part of the testimony, stating that “any material that glorifies the tragedy at Robb Elementary School is a horrifying infraction of our policies — full stop.
According to him,” As set forward below, this particular experience was removed upon being reported, and the concerned person was banned,” he continued, confirming what Roblox had shared in April when Burrows had raised the issue and designated the cost.
” We condemn the glorified violence and tragedy in the real world, and we are particularly aware of how greatly Texas and the nation remain affected by this occasion.”
In addition to the written evidence, he likewise provided 15 supporting paperwork outlining their safety measures.
The day of the hearing, Burrows pointedly addressed Roblox in an X post, saying that they “refused” to speak and that “one must assume it’s because what is happening on their system is unjustified.”
According to McLaughlin, who testified at the hearing on Tuesday, Burrows cited this statement as proof that they had benefited from the hateful maps that were created on their platform and that depicted the tragic shootings at Robb Elementary, Columbine, and Parkland.
King stated at the conclusion of the hearing that Roblox will be brought before the committee once more.
