What safety issues is Roblox facing?

Roblox is addressing concerns about child predators and has introduced age checks, with plans for mandatory facial verification for chat features.

How many Roblox users were in Russia?

Before the ban, Roblox had an estimated 70 million installations in Russia on mobile devices.

Home / Technology / Roblox Blocked in Russia Over LGBTQ Content

Roblox Blocked in Russia Over LGBTQ Content

Q: Why was Roblox banned in Russia?

Roblox was banned in Russia because the country's communications agency cited the presence of LGBTQ content as a reason, deeming it 'extremist activity'.

4 Dec

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Summary

Russia banned Roblox citing LGBTQ content as extremist.
Roblox faces safety issues with child predators and probes.
Millions installed Roblox in Russia before the ban.

Roblox Blocked in Russia Over LGBTQ Content

The popular online gaming platform Roblox has been banned in Russia, as reported by Russian state media. The country's communications agency cited the presence of LGBTQ content on the user-generated platform as a key reason for the ban, aligning with Russia's laws against "extremist activity" related to public LGBTQ advocacy.

This action unfolds while Roblox grapples with significant safety and moderation challenges globally. Recent reports have highlighted instances where underage users were exposed to child predators. In the United States, the platform has faced legal scrutiny from attorneys general in Texas and Louisiana. In response, Roblox has introduced enhanced age verification and content moderation tools.

Further safety measures include mandatory facial verification for chat features, set to be implemented in January. Roblox also asked developers to flag content related to sensitive social or political issues, which drew criticism from gaming industry advocacy groups for potentially silencing important voices and legitimizing discrimination. An estimated 70 million Roblox installations existed in Russia prior to this ban.