The Texas House is launching a probe into online gaming platforms after reports that children were exposed to graphic, real-world mass shooting simulations, including one recreating the attack at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
The State Affairs Committee will investigate online gaming platforms amid mounting concerns about harmful content targeting minors, following a supplemental interim charge issued by House Speaker Dustin Burrows.
“The Texas House will always put the safety of our children first,” Burrows said, pointing to reports of violent and disturbing content on platforms like Roblox. He cited a game simulating the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers, calling it “a profound moral failure” and warning that such content “goes beyond poor taste and crosses into dangerous territory.”
The charge directs lawmakers to study the prevalence of violent and sexually explicit material, as well as features that allow communication between minors and adult strangers. It also calls for a review of existing safeguards—including parental controls, content moderation, and chat filters—and whether platforms are prioritizing engagement over child safety.
“With nearly 40 percent of Roblox’s 144 million daily users under the age of 13, there is no excuse for performative safeguards or indifferent oversight,” Burrows said. “The State of Texas demands accountability—not a system that profits from violence and provocation while exposing young minds to hateful content.”
Lawmakers are also tasked with examining state laws on age verification and parental consent, as well as reviewing potential legal liability for platforms and third-party developers, including the impact of federal protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Burrows said the issue reflects broader “systemic failures in oversight,” adding that platforms have allowed “exploitation and shock value at the expense of basic human decency.”
The inquiry comes as Attorney General Ken Paxton continues to pursue legal action against Roblox, accusing the company in a lawsuit filed last November of misleading parents and failing to protect children from sexual exploitation and explicit content.
The state alleges the platform allowed predators to communicate with minors while marketing itself as a safe environment for kids.
In a statement to Texas Scorecard, a Roblox spokesperson said the company removed the content referenced by Dustin Burrows and bans users who upload similar material.
“Any glorification of the tragedy at Robb Elementary School deeply concerns us,” the spokesperson said. “Behaviors that promote violent extremism and depictions of sensitive real-world events are against our policies, which we work tirelessly to enforce.”
The spokesperson added that Roblox employs “a multi-layered safety system” that includes AI-powered detection, 24/7 moderation, and user reporting tools, while restricting younger users’ chat capabilities through age-based controls.
“While no system can be perfect, we work around the clock to enhance our safety measures,” the spokesperson said.
They also said the company is rolling out new account types designed to limit users under 16 to age-appropriate experiences and emphasized that Roblox works with law enforcement to hold bad actors accountable.
