Russia Blocks Gaming Platform Roblox Over Child Safety Concerns

Russia’s telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor has blocked Roblox, a U.S. gaming platform popular with children, accusing it of allowing the dissemination of extremist materials and “LGBT propaganda.”

Roskomnadzor on Dec. 3 told reporters that it had restricted user access “over registered facts of massive and repeated dissemination of materials with propaganda and justification of extremist and terrorist activities, calls for committing illegal violent actions and LGBT propaganda,” according to Russian news agency Interfax.

Roblox is an online platform on which users can play games created by other users. It also has social elements, including virtual hangouts. Users can chat with each other through text and voice. According to the company’s website, it handles 151.5 million active users daily.

The watchdog stated that monitoring of the gaming platform “repeatedly confirmed the inability of the internal moderation system to ensure 100 percent security of the materials appearing on the platform.”

The statement echoed earlier remarks from the watchdog on Nov. 29.

Roskomnadzor stated at the time that the platform has “a large amount of inappropriate content that can negatively impact children’s spiritual and moral development, creating conditions and preconditions for illegal activities,” according to Russian state-owned news agency TASS.

When asked about Russia’s blocking the platform, a Roblox spokesperson told The Epoch Times that it provides a positive space for creativity and learning.

“We respect the local laws and regulations in the countries where we operate and believe that Roblox provides a positive space for learning, creation, and meaningful connection for everyone,” the spokesperson said.

“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.”

The platform is also facing scrutiny in other jurisdictions.

Improper Content

Roskomnadzor stated that some improper content was found in rooms and game locations “where users can become perpetrators of terrorist actions, attack a school, and gamble.”

It also stated that children using the platform were being lured to provide intimate photographs of themselves and were being subject to “sexual misconduct and violence,” alleging that the platform was “popular with pedophiles.”

“Situations of such illegal conduct towards children have long become widespread both in the United States and in Russia,” Roskomnadzor stated.

According to Interfax, Roskomnadzor said in a July 10 statement that Roblox had deleted materials that “depicted LGBT characters and attributes of the LGBT community.” Dissemination of such content violates Russian law.

In 2023, Russia designated the “international LGBT movement” as extremist and responsible for inciting “social and religious discord.” The move was criticized by internationalist bodies such as the United Nations and Amnesty International.

Texas Sues Roblox

Last month, Texas filed a lawsuit against Roblox, accusing the gaming platform of failing to protect children from online predators. Similar cases have been brought against the company by attorneys general in other states, including Florida, Kentucky, and Louisiana.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Nov. 6 accused Roblox of violating child safety laws, as well as state and federal consumer protection laws, failing to prevent the grooming and sexual exploitation of children, as well as failing to inform parents of the dangers of the platform.

Roblox told The Epoch Times at the time that it is committed to child safety and had implemented “industry-leading protocols in an effort to protect users and remove bad actors.”

The platform noted that it had introduced more than 145 safety measures in 2025 and was developing a new age estimation system to prevent adults from interacting with children.

It is also banned in Turkey, following concerns content on it could lead to the abuse of children.

Australia to Scrutinize Roblox

Online safety of children has become an issue of widespread concern, with countries around the world, including Australia, Denmark, and Malaysia, looking at or instituting some form of social media ban for minors. There have also been attempts to control social media access for minors at the state level in the United States.

Those advocating for change have warned that usage affects children’s mental health and development and exposes them to harmful material online. In October, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said phones and social media are “stealing our children’s childhood.”

Australia became the world’s first country to pass legislation banning social media for minors, with prohibition for those younger than 16 coming into effect on Dec. 10.

While Roblox is not listed as one of the platforms to be age-restricted, Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells said regulators would keep it “under scrutiny” to see how young people respond once the other social media restrictions come into force.

“If we were to detect that people were swarming to Roblox and there was more harm being created, absolutely Roblox would be in the sights of the eSafety commissioner,” Wells said on Nov. 10.