Digital Hunting Grounds of Roblox and Discord:

Watching interviews on the Shawn Ryan Show reminded me to write this article as a follow-up to a previous one.

You see, there is a moment in every digital-exploitation case where the denial dies. It usually happens when a predator stops pretending to be a decent human and speaks plainly. A Discord user once admitted, without hesitation, that he “has little children because it’s all fun,” then listed the things he tells them to do.

• Strangle themselves with a broken cable.
• Kill their pets.
• Perform whatever immoral act he decides is amusing that day.

He records it. Others record it. They treat it like a hobby.

Most adults read that sentence and try to soften it. They assume it’s exaggerated or taken out of context. They imagine some far-away corner of the internet, something obscure, something difficult to access. That illusion is comforting, but it’s fiction. These conversations happened on Discord. A mainstream, free app used by millions of kids whose parents assume it’s “just voice chat.” The predator gave enough detail to show familiarity with cult-oriented material, enough bravado to suggest he’d done it before, and enough entitlement to make it clear he wasn’t afraid of consequences. That comfort level only exists when a system has taught him he’s untouchable.

This type of confession isn’t rare. It’s simply the part most adults never hear. Once you hear it, you stop pretending these platforms are harmless. You stop thinking your child is the exception. And you understand why predators love the fact that Roblox and Discord are built with the exact level of access and anonymity that exploitation requires.

People still picture predators as isolated adults lurking in fringe forums. That stereotype hasn’t been true since the early 2000s. Predators go where children gather. They always have. The only difference now is that the gathering places are digital, massive, and monetized.

• Roblox has more than 75 million daily users, most of them children.
• Discord acts as the spillover room, where conversations move from playful to private and from private to dangerous.

No friction, no verification, no real guardrails.

This is not a complicated ecosystem.

• Children want to play, talk, and belong.
• Predators want access, anonymity, and a steady supply.

Both platforms offer exactly that. The scale isn’t the shocking part. The normalization is. Roblox looks like a cartoon playground, so adults assume it’s safe. Discord looks like a chat board, so they assume it’s harmless. And while parents keep defaulting to those assumptions, the people hunting kids enjoy uninterrupted access.

There is nothing nuanced about it. It’s a high-traffic, bright-colored, corporate-supported environment where children and predators occupy the same space and adults assume the branding equals safety. The design does the work for the offenders. The innocence of the interface blinds the adults who should be paying attention.

I've written about Roblox before, but let's elaborate.

Roblox as the world’s largest unmonitored child pipeline

Roblox brands itself as a global playground. The branding works because it taps into nostalgia. Blocky characters, simple animations, low-threat visuals. Parents look at the screen and see something that feels like digital Lego. What they don’t see is the constant flow of adult offenders moving through the same spaces dressed in the same avatars.

Inside Roblox, there are public servers where characters wear shirts labeled with CP-coded slogans. Some display symbols tied to the 764 group. Some openly reference grooming, sexual access, or dark content that should never exist in a children’s game. None of this is vague. It’s explicit. Yet the platform takes thirty percent of every transaction, including any shirt, accessory, or game pass bought inside these environments. The profit model doesn’t discriminate. If someone sells a shirt that contains child-abuse terminology, Roblox still earns revenue.

That alone would be a scandal for any responsible company. But Roblox took it further. When a young creator named Schlepp began identifying predators inside the platform—documenting their behavior, sending information to authorities, and warning parents—Roblox banned him. They issued a cease-and-desist letter telling him to stop catching predators on their platform. Then they released a public statement insisting that “vigilantes” were harmful.

The translation is simple. A child was more motivated to remove predators than the company that profits from hosting them.

So while parents keep buying Robux gift cards at Walmart and Target, their money circulates through a system where predators openly exploit minors while wearing digital merchandise that should have been removed before it ever reached a child’s screen.

In my book Digital Lynch Mobs, and in other articles across platforms, I've written about the platforms making money off of victims. Roblox is no different. The company understands how money moves through its system. Every parent who buys a Robux card at the checkout line feeds a billion-dollar economy built on microtransactions. Most players spend their currency on harmless items, but the platform doesn’t separate clean content from contaminated content. If something is purchased in a game, Roblox takes its cut. The model is simple and efficient. It also removes any incentive for enforcement.

A responsible platform would apply aggressive, layered moderation. They would review new assets with human oversight, not automated filters that miss obvious terms. They would treat exploitation the same way financial institutions treat fraud: as a high-risk liability that demands immediate intervention. Instead, Roblox has built a culture of plausible deniability. If they pretend they didn’t see it, they don’t have to fix it. And if they don’t have to fix it, they don’t have to explain why they allowed dangerous environments to generate revenue.

This is why the cease-and-desist letter to Schlepp is so telling. Roblox acted quickly when someone interfered with their operational image, not when predators interfered with children. They had enough legal firepower to silence a teenager but claim to have limited ability to manage the dangerous actors selling coded shirts inside their own marketplace. That contradiction is not accidental. It is a choice rooted in financial self-protection. Enforcement threatens profits, but silencing a user is cheap. When a company trains itself to tolerate exploitation because the alternative affects revenue streams, parents should not assume the platform will suddenly grow a conscience.

Discord as the escalation chamber where obedience is trained and recorded.

Roblox is the entry point. Discord is the escalation chamber. Once a predator identifies a potential victim, the next step is almost always the same. They move them into private Discord conversations where the atmosphere shifts from playful to intimate and from intimate to coercive. Parents rarely monitor Discord because they underestimate it. They assume the risk lies in the games, not the chat app. Predators know this and use it.

Discord Nitro became a form of currency inside grooming circles. For $10, a user can unlock extra emojis and a higher file-size limit. Those features have no moral value, but predators use them like payment tokens. Per KarluskaP on X, one conversation shows a predator offering Nitro in exchange for a child harming herself on camera. The exchange is casual. No pressure. No hesitation. Nitro first. Harm after. A human being reduced to a digital reward system that costs less than a fast-food meal.

The escalation doesn’t stop with self-harm. In some cases, children are recorded following commands. In others, they are pressured to involve pets. In the worst cases, they are sold. Predators treat Discord like a warehouse where content is produced, traded, and circulated. The anonymity is perfect. The enforcement is weak. The accountability is nearly nonexistent. And because everything is protected by usernames instead of identities, predators operate with the same casual confidence you’d expect from someone browsing a public forum. Grooming thrives where there is no real supervision. Discord built a space where supervision is optional.

One of the most disturbing patterns is how quickly language shifts from predatory grooming to full commercial exploitation. Screenshots show users advertising an 11-year-old as if she were a digital asset. Descriptions reference her obedience, her “condition,” and the absence of visible injuries. The person selling her specifies that she “will listen when pressured enough.” The price is $1200, payable only in Monero. That detail alone shows the intent to avoid detection, since Monero transactions are designed for privacy.

It’s difficult for most adults to process this because the language resembles trafficking networks, not internet chat rooms. But that is the point. The anonymity of Discord allows predators to mimic black-market behavior without leaving their homes. They don’t need sophisticated networks or global transport routes. They need a phone, a username, and a group of people who don’t see children as humans. The transactional language is chilling because it is ordinary inside these circles.

• Obedience becomes a feature.
• Compliance becomes a selling point.
• Youth becomes a marketing hook.

If you listen to Shawn Ryan's guest, some of these groups overlap with the 764 cult, others with separate exploitation rings. Either way, the presence of those 764 symbols indicates control. Children do not choose those markings. They are instructed to display them or carve them into their body live on camera. The photo becomes evidence of possession. In some cases, the children are hostages. In others, they are manipulated to pose a certain way. In every scenario, they are being treated like inventory.

The 764 cult and their structured process for breaking minors.

The 764 cult is not the dramatic fantasy most people assume. They are not robed figures in basements. Their power comes from organization, scripts, and psychological conditioning. The group is known for a lengthy 200+-page manual that details how to manipulate minors. The content ranges from language cues to emotional hooks to pressure tactics. Some sections describe how to isolate a child from support. Others outline ritualized tasks designed to measure compliance. They target kids who already feel invisible. Shawn Ryan's guest Ryan M. Montgomery explains more.

• Roblox and Minecraft are their usual entry points.
• TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat help them monitor the child’s emotional state.
• Discord is where the indoctrination occurs.

The pattern is very consistent.

• They move conversations away from public spaces.
• They introduce symbols.
• They reward secrecy.
• They escalate toward obedience tasks.

Once a child complies with one command, the cult treats that as a contract. Breaking down resistance becomes the goal. The more compliant the child becomes, the more valuable they are to the group.

This isn’t mystical. It’s behavioral conditioning.

• Children crave belonging.
• Cult recruiters crave control.

When you combine a child’s developmental stage with an adult’s predatory intent, breaking the child becomes strategic.

These groups understand trauma, silence, and fear. They understand how to shame a child quietly. They weaponize emotional isolation the same way traditional cults do. The difference is speed. Digital access accelerates the timeline. A process that once took weeks can happen in hours.

Behavioral mechanics: how children are sorted, tested, and conditioned

Predators do not guess. They test. They send small, harmless messages to gauge responsiveness. They watch how quickly a child replies. They push the boundaries gently, then more boldly. Children who show uncertainty are pushed slower. Children who show eagerness are rushed toward compliance. It’s pattern recognition. Offenders identify kids who avoid conflict, who crave approval, who apologize quickly, or who thank them for attention. Those traits become leverage points.

Once they choose a target, the conditioning begins. It usually starts with secrecy. Then flattery. Then requests framed as trust exercises. Once the child crosses a line, even a small one, the predator uses the moment as a tether. Shame binds children easily.

• They fear losing their devices.
• They fear getting in trouble.
• They fear disappointing adults.

Predators use those fears as control mechanisms. The goal is simple. Make the child believe the adult is the only person who understands them. Then introduce threats or demands. The progression is predictable because it relies on well-studied human behavior.

Children collapse under psychological pressure far quicker than adults expect. Their brains are still building the capacity for delayed judgment. They can’t imagine long-term consequences. They respond to immediate emotional cues. That is why predators don’t need complex strategies. They only need proximity, patience, and a platform that refuses to intervene.

Why victims rarely tell anyone until they are deeply compromised

Most parents believe their child will tell them if something feels wrong. That belief is comforting but not realistic. Children stay silent for several reasons. Some feel responsible because the predator framed the interaction as their choice. Others feel ashamed. Some fear losing their devices. Others fear punishment. Many victims protect the predator because they believe the predator cares about them. Grooming is not accidental. It’s designed to create exactly that emotional confusion.

By the time a child realizes they are in danger, they may feel trapped.

• If the predator has recordings, the child fears exposure.
• If threats have been made, they fear retaliation.
• And if the predator has spent weeks shaping their emotional world, the child may believe they caused the situation.

Silence becomes self-protection. Parents misinterpret it as confidence or independence. Meanwhile, the child is sinking into deeper compliance.

This silence is not a child’s failure. It’s a predictable outcome of coercive conditioning. Expecting a child to see through psychological manipulation is a misunderstanding of childhood development. Adults must stop assuming children will disclose early. They won’t. They disclose when the situation becomes unbearable. By then, the harm has already expanded.

The failure of platform responsibility and the illusion of moderation

Roblx and Discord both advertise safety. They publish reports, comment on “community guidelines,” and claim to remove harmful content. The problem is not the existence of policies. The problem is the lack of enforcement. Moderation tools rely too heavily on automated filters that fail to detect intentionally misspelled words, coded language, or symbols. Dangerous users can create new accounts in minutes. Reporting systems are slow. Appeals are inconsistent. Corporations treat exploitation like a public-relations issue, not a safety issue.

This creates an illusion of protection. Parents see statements and assume the company is doing its job. Meanwhile, predators move freely. Enforcement is selective. Companies prioritize their image and revenue over the reality of child harm occurring within their ecosystems. It’s a cycle that repeats every year. A scandal appears. The platform promises improvement. The attention fades. The behavior resumes. When a company benefits financially from a system that allows predators to blend in, improvement becomes optional.

The parental myth of “harmless play”

Many adults assume that if something looks childish, it must be safe. Roblox’s design language reinforces that belief. Discord’s casual interface contributes to it. Parents hand devices to their children without thinking about who else might be on the other side of the screen. They watch their child laugh at an avatar and assume all interactions are innocent. That assumption is the weakest point in the entire chain.

Children will always gravitate toward connection. That instinct is healthy when guided by adults. Unsupervised, it becomes a vulnerability. Predators exploit the parental habit of assuming the best. They exploit the belief that “my child would never talk to an adult stranger.” They exploit the trust placed in platforms that market themselves as safe. By the time a parent realizes something is wrong, the damage has usually matured.

Harmless play exists. So does predatory play. The difference is not visible on the screen. It’s visible in the silence that follows.

What actual protection looks like, from a forensic and trauma-science standpoint

Prevention is not about fear. It’s about structure. Children cannot be expected to self-manage these risks. Adults must create boundaries that match the reality of online exploitation. That means shared spaces, not closed doors.

• Devices with accountability, not secrecy.
• Conversations that treat safety as routine, not punishment.
• Active participation from adults who understand that digital environments demand the same vigilance as physical ones.

A practical approach includes keeping gaming activity in visible areas, using parental controls without relying on them blindly, reviewing communication logs regularly, and making it clear that mistakes will not lead to device confiscation. Shame blocks reporting. Safety planning encourages it.

Parents should also understand the early behavioral cues of grooming.

• Increased secrecy.
• Sudden emotional withdrawal.
• Fixation on a new online “friend.”
• Changes in sleep or mood.

These cues matter.

Protection is not surveillance. It is engagement. The predator’s advantage is access. A parent’s advantage is presence. When adults replace assumptions with structure, the gap predators exploit becomes smaller.

Children trust the environments adults hand them. That trust is fragile, and predators know exactly how to exploit it. Roblox and Discord were not built to protect children. They were built to scale. Safety became optional, then decorative. The result is an ecosystem where harm is predictable, preventable, and still largely ignored. The responsibility can’t be outsourced to corporations that profit from inaction. It falls on the adults who understand that the digital world operates by its own rules.

• When we treat it with the seriousness it deserves, children stand a chance.
• When we don’t, predators fill the silence.

Sources That Don’t Suck:

Shawn Ryan Show

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Roblox Corporation Public Policy Statements

Discord Trust and Safety Documentation

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence and Cybercrime

U.S. Department of Justice: Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

Canadian Centre for Child Protection

Thorn

Bark Technologies Research

Common Sense Media Research Division

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

FBI Crimes Against Children Unit

Interpol Crimes Against Children Reports

Crisis Text Line Data Reports

CyberTipline Case Analyses