Iraq bans Roblox game platform citing ‘moral values’

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

Iraq has banned U.S. gaming platform Roblox over what it described as sexual content, blasphemy and risks of online blackmail against minors, the communications ministry said.

The popular site, which lets players build their own games, has repeatedly been accused of failing to protect its youngest players in recent years.

Iraq’s communications ministry said late Sunday that it wanted to “protect social order, preserve moral values” and “ensure the safety of internet users in Iraq”.

It announced a “ban on the Roblox game in the country, in accordance with the decisions of the Supreme Court”.

The ministry alleged that the California-based site contained “sexual (content), acts of blackmail, foul language and profanity” and posed “numerous security and social risks”.

It gave the example of a feature allowing “direct communication between users which exposes young people to attempts at exploitation or blackmail”.

It also cited content that violated Iraqi social norms.

Last month, Australia’s online watchdog said Roblox agreed to curb the risk of adults grooming children on its platform there.

The gaming platform promised a suite of measures, including switching off direct chat in Australia, unless users have had their age verified, while also blocking adults from speaking with children under 16.

Around 100 million people use Roblox every day, with under-13s accounting for around 40 per cent of 2024 users, according to the company.