UAE: Roblox Disables Chat Function For Users Amid Safety Concerns

Users of the online gaming platform Roblox in the UAE will temporarily be unable to chat in the game. The joint statement was made in a social media post by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) with Roblox that said it will implement new measures to strengthen online safety for children.

This comes weeks after the online game was regulated in several countries in the region including Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. Earlier China and Turkey had also posed restrictions on the game.

Following discussions between the two parties, Roblox will temporarily disable certain communication features for users in the UAE, including in-platform chat and games with chat functions.

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A regular Roblox user in the UAE confirmed to Khaleej Times that he has been unable to access the chat feature.“When I first logged into the game, it said your region/settings make it unable to chat,” he said.“When I closed the game and opened it, the chat icon was no longer available.”

The TDRA and Roblox urged parents and guardians to closely monitor their children's online activity and engage with them about safe gaming practices. They also encouraged users to submit feedback, suggestions, or reports through Roblox's in-app reporting tools or directly to the authority.

In a social media post, TDRA also urged parents to monitor their children while using the platform, engage in open dialogue with them about their digital experiences, and share feedback, suggestions, or reports through Roblox's reporting channels or directly with the authority.

Last week several local experts told Khaleej Times that parents can make these platforms safer by enforcing time limits and added layers of protection to ensure that young gamers remain safe. A spokesperson for cybersecurity company Kaspersky had said that in-game chats and forums exposed children to a wide range of threats including cyberbullying, harassment and inappropriate content.

Laura Tristram, Co-Founder of AI wellbeing and mental health support platform Lumii, had asked parents to take“just ten minutes” to make online games safer.“Switch to a child account, add age filter, install a PIN on spending, have friends‐only chat, and activate 2 factor authentication,” she said.“Hide real names and photos and pick a neutral gamertag. That's safety, not secrecy.”

Another set of changes outlined in the joint statement includes the introduction of enhanced moderation for content and communication in Arabic, along with improvements to the existing suite of safety features and parental controls.

The authority affirmed its ongoing collaboration with Roblox to maintain a“safe, trusted, and positive digital environment for all users in the UAE, especially children".

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