The entire Schlep and Roblox controversy explained

YouTuber Michael "Schlep" has been making Roblox-related content since November 2021. His greatest hits form part of the "Roblox Predator" series, where he exposes alleged child predators within the game's community. For context, these predators have become a growing issue on a platform that is frequented mostly by children and has over 111 million daily active users.

That being said, based on a recent cease-and-desist letter issued by the Roblox Corporation against the Predator series, Schlep believes that the company is failing to address the situation adequately:

"I love so much about this site, and that's why I'm so critical of it, because I want to see it do better. The stuff that they sent me in the cease and desist letter is actually laughably hilarious. Roblox is actively claiming that I'm hurting their players." (Timestamp - 1:13)

Michael is a veteran Roblox player and, in his own words, has wanted "to help make it a safer place." The cease-and-desist letter's details accuse Schlep of putting the game's users at an "increased risk" for the following points:

"Engaging in simulated child endangerment conversations. Sharing or soliciting personally identifiable information (PII). Directing users to move conversations off the platform."

While the company acknowledges Michael's endeavor to curb predatory behaviour on the platform, they also claimed that the YouTuber failed to use the "proper channels" to convey this behaviour:

"While Roblox acknowledges that your stated intentions may be to protect children, and while it recognizes the serious nature of online predatory behavior, your methods, including failing to immediately report suspicious activity to Roblox through proper channels, are actively interfering with Roblox's established safety protocols and, critically, are exposing Roblox's users to increased risk."

Overall, the platform has prohibited Schlep from using existing accounts or creating new ones to play the game, banishing him indefinitely. This is a policy the YouTuber mentioned he would adhere to in his latest video titled Roblox Is Threatening to Sue Me For Protecting Kids:

"I will not be accessing Roblox in any capacity at this point further, unless Roblox says otherwise." (Timestamp - 00:49)

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"#FREESCHLEP": Schlep calls for action against his Roblox ban

Schlep

@RealSchlep

No matter how it gets painted, me and my team got 6 predators arrested within the Roblox community in under a year. I sleep well at night knowing these people will not be able to abuse anymore children on Roblox. My work will always have amounted to something.

Over his time making videos, Michael has successfully hunted down six Roblox predators and gotten them arrested. After the ban, he expressed intentions to continue his online crime-fighting as he echoed the hashtag "#FREESCHLEP" on X.

Fellow YouTubers and content creators also shared their support for the cause and condemned the Roblox Corporation. Here's what streamer Asmongold had to say:

"'Banning an individual who's making active strides in protecting your platform from child abusers,' Well, it's because they don't want the negative press of having Roblox be associated with child predators. It's pretty obvious, right?"

Charlie "MoistCr1TiKaL" reviewed Schlep's case in a recent YouTube upload and claimed that Roblox's "proper channels" of reporting lead to dead ends:

"In all of these predator-catching groups, the first thing they do is report it through the proper channels on Roblox, but the issue is that the report just makes it directly to the shi**er at Roblox HQ for them to flush it."

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Schlep speaks on his experiences being "groomed" on Roblox

Schlep's objective of predator hunting seemingly stems from a personal place. In his video speaking on the cease-and-desist letter, he mentioned having inappropriate encounters with a developer on the platform at a young age:

"When I was a kid, I was groomed on Roblox by a popular developer." (Timestamp - 4:45)

Roblox allegedly "brushed off" this incident and only banned the developer years later. Overall, the YouTuber hoped that his video would shed light on how the company seems to be avoiding the main issue at hand:

"I really hope people can see that Roblox is willing to have a firmer stance against me, a person trying to get these Roblox predators arrested... Why aren't you sending these Roblox predators cease and desists? They deserve it!" (Timestamp - 6:21)

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Notably, in November 2024, Roblox added age restrictions in an attempt to cleanse the platform of predatory behaviour.