Roblox is being accused of deceptive marketing, according to a letter filed today by Truth in Advertising (TINA), an ad watchdog group, with the Federal Trade Commission. The letter said what is considered advertising within Roblox is not clear.
TINA claims that the ambiguity of Roblox's advertising particularly impacts children, who make up more than half of Roblox’s 50 million daily active users. TINA cited the multitude of experiences created by brands, from Nike to Hyundai, as examples of “advergames,” or advertisements disguised as games, which it says draw in unwitting consumers, their money and personal data.
In a comment provided by a company spokesperson, Roblox reiterated its commitment to ad safety on its platform, including that it "has strict guidelines for developers that want to promote or use ads within their experience" and "expectations that all developers adhere to Community Standards we strictly enforce."