Russia bans Roblox over ‘LGBT propaganda’ and ‘extremist’ content

Russia is restricting access to Roblox after the country’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor accused it of promoting extremism and “LGBT propaganda,” according to reports from Reuters and Meduza. As reported by Meduza, Russian lawmakers began raising concerns about Roblox days after The Guardian published a report about the platform last month, detailing how the author was able to access content that might not be appropriate for kids with parental controls enabled. The communications agency said that content on Roblox “may negatively affect the spiritual and moral development of children,” Meduza reports. “Children in the game are exposed to sexual harassment, coerced into sharing intimate photos, and pushed toward lewd acts and violence.” In addition to new restrictions on FaceTime and WhatsApp, Russia has banned platforms like Discord, Facebook, and Instagram in the past, while limiting access to YouTube. Roblox is also blocked in Turkey, Qatar, and Oman, while access to in-game chats is suspended in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. In the US, Roblox is also facing growing scrutiny surrounding child safety, with Texas suing the platform over claims it’s “putting pixel pedophiles and profits over the safety of Texas children.” Louisiana filed a similar lawsuit in August. Roblox has since announced that it’s locking down access to sexual content and will soon require users to go through an age estimation process in order to chat on the platform. ”We respect the local laws and regulations in the countries where we operate and believe Roblox provides a positive space for learning, creation and meaningful connection for everyone,” Roblox spokesperson Kadia Koroma said in a statement to The Verge. “We have a deep commitment to safety and we have a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent harmful content on our platform.” Update, December 5th: Added a statement from Roblox.