Russia bans Roblox, citing child harassment and extremist content, affecting millions of users. The platform was the country’s top mobile game in 2023
MOSCOW: Russian authorities have blocked access to the popular online gaming platform Roblox.
State media reported the ban on Wednesday, with regulators accusing the US-owned platform of distributing extremist materials and promoting “LGBT propaganda”.
Roblox, which allows users to create and share their own games, was Russia’s most downloaded mobile game in 2023.
The national media regulator, Roskomnadzor, stated the platform was rife with “inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children”.
“Children in the game are subjected to sexual harassment, intimate photos are tricked out of them, and they are coerced into committing depraved acts and violence,” it said in a statement.
Roblox Corporation, based in California, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The platform has around 100 million daily users globally, with children under 13 accounting for roughly 40% of its 2024 user base.
Russian users began reporting access problems earlier on Wednesday, according to internet outage monitoring sites.
Roblox has faced bans in other countries, including Qatar, Iraq and Turkey, primarily over child safety concerns.
US states Texas and Louisiana have also sued the app for similar reasons.
The Roblox Corporation states it moderates all content through human review and AI tools to remove “exploitative content”.
Russia has repeatedly threatened foreign-owned sites with bans, which rights advocates say is part of a broader attempt to control internet use.
Last week, Roskomnadzor announced it was considering banning WhatsApp, the country’s second most popular messenger, for allegedly failing to prevent “crime”. – AFP
