Moscow says the global platform exposes children to harmful content, extremist influence, and morally corrupt behaviour.

Russia has blocked access to the popular online gaming platform Roblox, accusing the US-based service of repeatedly spreading extremist content, LGBT propaganda, and materials that authorities describe as promoting “sexual deviance,” particularly among minors.

The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) announced that the nationwide restriction followed extensive monitoring that uncovered the “systematic distribution of prohibited and morally dangerous materials.”

According to the watchdog, Roblox hosted content that promoted or justified extremist and terrorist activities, encouraged violent crimes, and included propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations, which are prohibited under Russian law.

Russian users began reporting access problems early Wednesday, well before the government’s public announcement. After numerous complaints circulated online, Roskomnadzor confirmed that access to Roblox had been officially restricted.

The agency criticized Roblox’s internal moderation, stating that the platform “failed to ensure the safety of minors,” allowing a large volume of inappropriate content that could “harm children’s moral and spiritual development.”

Officials said that some user-created rooms allowed players to simulate terrorist attacks, school assaults, and illegal gambling, which they warned could encourage real-world violence among children.

Roskomnadzor also accused the platform of enabling sexual harassment, grooming attempts, coercion to share intimate images, and other forms of exploitation. The agency said adults have used the platform’s chat systems to contact minors and later attempt offline meetings.

Authorities noted that similar abuses have been reported “for years in both the United States and Russia,” arguing that Roblox’s young user base makes it particularly vulnerable.

The watchdog stated that Roblox had been repeatedly warned throughout 2025 and ordered to remove banned materials. While the company removed three LGBT-themed items on July 10, Roskomnadzor said the overall problem persisted, prompting the full ban.

Launched in the United States in 2006, Roblox is one of the world’s largest gaming platforms, with over 150 million daily active users, many of whom are children. The company went public in 2021 with a valuation near $45 billion.

As of Thursday, Roblox had not issued any public response to the Russian ban.

The blocking of Roblox is the latest step in Russia’s broader campaign targeting Western digital platforms accused of influencing minors or spreading extremist and immoral content. For millions of Russian children who used Roblox for social interaction and entertainment, the platform now appears inaccessible indefinitely. (ILKHA)