First Page
207
Abstract
Roblox is an online platform where users, many of whom are under the age of eighteen, create games, virtual experiences, and digital assets that generate significant revenue for Roblox Corporation, the owner of Roblox. These young content creators are compensated primarily through platform-specific virtual currency, which can be difficult to convert into real-world money due to the high thresholds for conversion and the unfavorable exchange rates. Even though these systems resemble labor relationships, existing legal frameworks and government actions do little to address the creators’ rights to fair compensation. This regulatory gap has allowed platforms like Roblox to operate under minimal oversight, raising concerns about coercive and exploitative labor practices. This Note argues that the current landscape of labor and content regulation is ill-suited to address the realities of virtual economies comprised of user-generated goods and services. Next, this Note proposes adapting and repurposing an archaic provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act to protect young creators in the modern, digital age and ensure that the compensation structures treat creators more fairly.
Recommended Citation
J. Clayton Eaton,
Minors or Miners? Analyzing Compensation of User-Generated Content Under the Fair Labor Standards Act,
28 Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law
207
(2025)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw/vol28/iss1/5