Russia has banned Roblox due to concerns about child safety, extremism, and LGBTQ+ content.
As reported by Reuters, Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor is blocking access to the popular UGC platform, which it claims is being used to distribute extremist and terrorist propaganda. In Russia, that definition includes content and information related to LGBTQ+ issues.
According to local news agency TASS (via Google Translate), Roskomnadzor claims Roblox contains content that will have a “negative impact on the spiritual and moral development of underage users.”
The regulator reportedly contacted Roblox owner Roblox Corp to ask that prohibited materials be restricted.
In a statement sent to Reuters, a Roblox Corp spokesperson said the company strives to create a “positive space” for learning while respecting “local laws and regulations.”
They added that Roblox Corp has “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.”
As recently highlighted by VGIM, Roskomnadzor frequently works to censor video games that include LGBTQ+ content, with platform holders sometimes aiding those efforts by chastising developers for failing to follow “applicable laws.”
In 2023, the Russian supreme court branded the “international LGBT movement” an “extremist organization” in a ruling that advocacy group Human Rights Watch said would jeopardize all forms of LGBTQ+ activism in the country.
Roblox was previously banned in Turkey after being accused by a government official of hosting content that could lead to the “exploitation of children.” It has also come under fire in the United States, where it is facing a number of lawsuits—including one recently filed by the State of Texas against Roblox Corp—for allegedly failing to protect young users from child predators.
Roblox Corp continues to add safety features—such as age checks designed to limit conversations between minors and adults—to the platform in the face of that litigation.
Roblox recorded over 151.5 million daily active users during the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Around one third of that vast playerbase is aged 12 or below.
