Russian Ban On Roblox Gaming Platform Sparks Rare Protest

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Several dozen people protested on Sunday in the Siberian city of Tomsk against Russia's ban on US children's gaming platform Roblox, a rare show of public dissent as popular irritation over the ban gains some momentum.

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said on December 3 it had blocked Roblox because it was "rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children".

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In Tomsk, 2,900 km (1,800 miles) east of Moscow, several dozen people braved the snow to hold up hand-drawn placards reading "Hands off Roblox" and other signs in Vladimir Vysotsky Park, according to photographs provided by an organiser of the protest.

The photographs showed about 25 people standing in a circle in the snow, holding up placards.

In Russia, the ban on Roblox has triggered a debate over censorship, child safety in relation to technology and even the effectiveness of censorship in a digitalised world where children can bypass many bans in a few clicks.

Some Russian parents and teachers have said they were concerned Roblox allowed children to access sexual content and communicate with adults.

Roblox, headquartered in San Mateo, California, has been banned by several countries, including Iraq and Turkey, over concerns about predators exploiting the platform to abuse children.

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. When the Russian ban was introduced, Roblox said it has "a deep commitment to safety" and provides "rigorous built-in protections to help keep users safe".

Russian officials say they need censorship to defend against a sophisticated "information war" unleashed by Western powers, and what they cast as decadent Western culture which undermines "traditional" Russian values.

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