Why Roblox faces global scrutiny over child safety and regulation

SHAH ALAM - Roblox, one of the world’s most popular gaming platforms for children and teenagers, is under increasing pressure worldwide.

While it has transformed how young people play and create, concerns about safety, exploitation and moderation failures have triggered lawsuits in the United States and restrictions or outright bans in countries across the Middle East and Asia.

What Roblox is and why it matters

Launched in 2006, Roblox is not a single video game but a platform that allows users to create, share and monetise experiences.

With tools like Roblox Studio, players can build their own interactive worlds while others join to explore them.

The company reports tens of millions of daily players and a large portion of its community consists of minors.

The platform also integrates social features such as text chat, voice communication and groups.

At its core, Roblox functions like a hybrid of gaming and social media, which makes it both appealing and risky.

Allegations and safety concerns

Regulators and parents have long raised alarms about what children may encounter on Roblox.

Allegations range from inappropriate or sexualised user-generated content to predators attempting to contact minors.

In August, the state of Louisiana in the United States filed a lawsuit against Roblox.

The filing alleged that the company ‘enabled predators and exposed children to harmful material’ through its platform.

The 42-page suit pointed to a raft of sexually explicit “experiences” that have been on the platform, including “Escape to Epstein Island,” “Diddy Party” and “Public Bathroom Simulator Vibe,” and it alleges that a man arrested on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material in Louisiana in July was using the platform at the time he was taken into custody.

Other states have signalled similar concerns, focusing on Roblox’s moderation systems and its ability to verify the ages of its users.

Investigations also highlight scams, fake giveaways and unauthorised purchases linked to the platform’s virtual currency, Robux. The complexity of the in-game economy, combined with the lack of strict parental oversight, has made children vulnerable to fraud.

Countries that have taken action

Roblox’s global reach has meant global scrutiny. Several countries have gone as far as blocking or restricting the platform.

In Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Roblox was forced to disable or restrict voice chat features in these markets after regulators raised concerns about child safety.

Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan also temporarily blocked or restricted access to Roblox, citing the appearance of inappropriate content on the platform.

In 2024, Turkey announced a nationwide ban on Roblox, arguing that the platform exposed children to harmful influences.

Authorities in Indonesia have also pressed Roblox to improve its moderation systems and even demanded that the company open a local office. Education officials have considered school-level restrictions.

Roblox in China has once attempted to launch a localised version called LuoBuLeSi in 2021, but strict regulation and compliance challenges led to its withdrawal.

Roblox’s response

Roblox has acknowledged the scrutiny but maintains that it is actively strengthening its safety tools.

The company has rolled out new parental controls, including account linking, content filters, spending limits and time restrictions.

Regulators and parents have long raised alarms about what children may encounter on Roblox. - Photo: Microsoft Store

It has also partnered with age-rating organisations to display clearer maturity labels on experiences.

In 2025, Roblox announced that it would introduce age verification for communication features such as chat and voice, relying on methods like selfie checks and ID verification.

Roblox, however, has rejected some of the allegations made in lawsuits.

A company spokesperson previously stressed that it would “continue to invest heavily in safety technology and human moderation” while challenging claims made by state officials.

What parents and schools should do

Experts recommend that parents treat Roblox less like a simple game and more like a social media platform.

By linking accounts, parents can set content restrictions, disable chat features and monitor spending on Robux currency.

Children should also be taught never to share personal details, photos or move conversations off-platform.

Schools and policymakers, meanwhile, are increasingly advised to restrict Roblox on networks used by children until stronger safety guarantees are in place.

The bigger picture

While Roblox is not the only platform facing the issue on how to manage vast user-generated platforms where children form a majority of the audience, its global popularity has made it a test case for regulators seeking to hold tech companies accountable for child safety.

For governments and parents, the question remains whether Roblox can be made safe enough to remain a digital playground or whether stricter rules and even bans will become the norm.