U.S. gaming platform Roblox pledges changes to get Russian ban lifted

The gaming platform Roblox is displayed on a tablet, Oct. 30, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Leon Keith, File)

LONDON - U.S. gaming platform Roblox is willing to make changes to some of its features in Russia, it said on Wednesday, as it seeks to overturn a ban imposed on it earlier this month.

Communications watchdog Roskomnadzor announced the ban on Dec. 3 on grounds of child safety, sparking annoyance among some Russian users and even a rare protest at the weekend in the Siberian city of Tomsk.

Interfax news agency quoted Roskomnadzor on Wednesday as saying that the U.S. company had contacted it and expressed readiness to bring itself into compliance with Russian law.

“If this isn’t just a statement, but a genuine willingness on the platform to change its approach to ensuring children’s safety online, then Roskomnadzor will interact with the platform as it does with any other service that complies with Russian law,” it quoted the watchdog as saying.

Roblox intends to continue talks with Roskomnadzor

A Roblox spokesperson confirmed the contact with the watchdog in an emailed comment to Reuters.

Roblox was ready “to temporarily limit communication features in Russia and to revise our content moderation processes to address the legal requirements necessary to restore our community’s access to the platform,” the spokesperson said.

They added: “Roblox intends to continue dialog with Roskomnadzor as access to the platform is restored, including discussions around additional compliance measures that may be considered over time.”

The spokesperson declined further comment on when the ban might be lifted. A user who tried to access Roblox in Moscow on Wednesday reported seeing a white screen and a message saying “checking updates.”

Roblox has been banned by several countries including Iraq and Turkey over concerns about predators exploiting the platform to abuse children. It says it respects national laws and is deeply committed to user safety.

Any agreement to restore access to Roblox would mark a rare instance of compromise in Russia’s long-running disputes with U.S. tech companies.

Russia has introduced wartime censorship that blocks or restricts a number of foreign social media platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and Apple’s video-calling app FaceTime.

Russian officials say the measures are necessary to defend against a sophisticated “information war” unleashed by Western powers, and what they cast as decadent Western culture that undermines traditional Russian values.

VPNS can allow people to bypass the bans

Many people circumvent the bans by using Virtual Private Networks. Some young Russians have questioned the logic of such restrictions if they can be so easily bypassed; others ask why there are so few Russian alternatives to the forbidden Western apps.

Some Russian parents and teachers have expressed concern that Roblox allows children to access sexual content and communicate with adults.

Roskomnadzor said Roblox had promised to take the necessary measures “to remove destructive and dangerous information and prevent criminal activity and user communications on the platform.”

The Roblox spokesperson said: “Roblox is deeply committed to the safety of our users, with a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent harmful content on our platform.”

Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; editing by Barbara Lewis