Roblox banned in Türkiye over child exploitation concerns

85 million Turkish citizens have been blocked from accessing the game

Roblox is incredibly popular, estimated to have over 70 million active users every single day, many of whom are minors. It’s not been without its controversy, though, with countless complaints about child exploitation, abuse, and more. Many have called on governments to hold the game’s developer accountable, and now one country has done just that. 

PocketGamer has reported that Türkiye blocked access to Roblox in the country as of yesterday, with the game being pulled from app stores and made unavailable to all citizens of the country — a population of about 85 million. The decision to block the game was made by the Adana 6th Criminal Court of Peace, after an investigation from the Adana Chief Prosecutor’s Office found that the game could lead to the exploitation of children. 

Türkiye’s Minister for Justice Yılmaz Tunç confirmed the ban on Twitter, saying that the country is obliged to protect children through whatever means possible. 

“According to our Constitution, our State is obliged to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of our children,” the statement reads, as translated by Twitter. “It is everyone's duty to look out for, protect, and support the best interests of our children, the guarantors of our future. 

“Türkiye is one of the countries that closely follows developments in the world and uses technology in the best way,” the statement continues. “However, using technology in a negative way is never acceptable. Attempts to undermine our social structure, abuse of children, encouragement of violence, and activities that will negatively affect the development of our children, each of whom is a precious gift, will never be allowed.” 

Roblox came under heavy fire last year after users discovered there was something seriously wrong with the game’s moderation. A thread shared on Twitter at the time shows a number of violent and otherwise inappropriate user-made games, including one where players aimed to kill Peppa Pig, and others where players were encouraged to take photos of other players on the toilet in-game. These games were marked as suitable for all ages, though it’s believed they have since been removed.

In a statement to GLHF, a Roblox spokesperson said that the company would be working with Türkiye to restore access to the game. 

“We’ve spent almost 20 years making Roblox one of the safest online platforms for our users, particularly the youngest, and ensuring the safety of our users is at the core of everything we do. We respect the laws and regulations in countries where we operate and share local lawmakers’ commitment to children. We look forward to working together to ensure Roblox is back online in Türkiye as soon as possible.”