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Section Criminal Law

Criminal Liability for Child Grooming Operational Patterns in Roblox Online Gaming

Vol. 14 No. 2 (2026): December:
DOI : https://doi.org/10.21070/jihr.v14i2.1182
Published : Nov 12, 2026

Rama Ahmad Raja Maranay (1), Beniharmoni Harefa (2)

(1) Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta, Indonesia
(2) Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta, Indonesia
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Abstract:

General Background: Online gaming platforms create opportunities for social interaction while exposing children to manipulation and technology-facilitated sexual exploitation. Specific Background: Roblox communication features, virtual identities, and digital rewards can facilitate grooming through progressive trust-building, isolation, and sexual solicitation. Knowledge Gap: Indonesian criminal law does not expressly establish grooming as an independent offense, while recent legislative changes require reassessment of liability across different stages of perpetrator conduct. Aims: This study examines grooming methods and criminal liability under Indonesian law following implementation of the National Criminal Code and Criminal Adjustment Law. Normative legal research employed statutory, conceptual, case-based, and comparative approaches, including legislative frameworks from the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore. Results: The analysis identifies five behavioral stages, from victim selection to further exploitation. Initial contact, trust-building, and isolation generally remain outside criminal liability unless statutory offense elements are satisfied. Sexual communications, coercion, and exploitation may fall under existing sexual violence and criminal provisions. Digital gifts, including Robux, may constitute inducements under Article 417 when the remaining statutory elements are established. Criminal responsibility also differs between adult and juvenile perpetrators. Novelty: The study integrates stage-specific offense analysis, virtual reward mechanisms, legislative transitions, and offender age into a comparative legal framework. Implications: Explicit grooming provisions could address early-stage regulatory gaps while preserving legality, evidentiary safeguards, and differentiated juvenile accountability.


Highlights:



  • Five sequential behavioral phases were identified, beginning with victim selection.

  • Preparatory communication generally falls outside existing offenses until relevant statutory elements are met.

  • Virtual rewards and offender age create distinct considerations for prosecution and accountability.


Keywords: Child Grooming, Roblox, Criminal Liability, Indonesian Criminal Law, Children.


 

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