Roblox Advertising Is Reportedly Designed to Exploit Users

Once again Roblox, the enfant terrible of the gaming industry, is in the middle of a scandal. This time it’s about undisclosed advertising that, according to the report by Truth in Advertising, flourishes on the platform. Ad-supported games, as well as hidden advertising activity on Roblox, are described in a 44-page report issued by the watchdog group.

Examples of hidden advertising include multiple cases of undisclosed advertising activity. Basically, it means that players (many of them are children) are exposed to games made for marketing purposes or containing advertising materials. Among brands that promote their products on Roblox, there are major toy and game vendors like Hasbro and Mattel. Speaking of video game developers, the most prominent one is Sega which recently launched its Sonic Speed Simulator on Roblox.

Normally, these advertising “experiences” (as Roblox prefers to put them) should be marked as such, as we see on social media like Instagram or Facebook. Yet on Roblox, it’s not always the case. If you search for something on Roblox, promoted projects and “real” games are shown without any indication of their advertising nature.

Another example of undisclosed advertising is the presence of brand ambassadors that act like regular users. For example, according to the report, Nike has been caught on hiring such ambassadors that boast their “bought” virtual and real Nike products.

It’s just another on the list of scandals about Roblox. Previously it was caught on its deceptive policy about creator revenues which resulted in exploiting developers, including minors. Another disclosure regarded harassment and bullying within the community that Roblox did not properly address. Now, it’s about ads.

Have you noticed anything like this on Roblox? What do you think about hidden advertising? Share your opinion with us in the comments!