Russia Blocks Roblox Access Over LGBT Content Claims

Russia blocked Roblox on 3rd December. The communications regulator Roskomnadzor cut off millions of daily users after repeated warnings about content the government considers illegal.

Roskomnadzor stated the platform contained extremist materials and LGBT propaganda , though the agency's statement bundled these accusations alongside genuine child safety concerns. Reports from monitoring sites showed over 8,100 complaints within a day as Russian users lost access to the game-creation platform.

The ban follows months of escalating pressure. Federal police reported crimes on Roblox throughout 2025, and by March, an Internal Affairs Ministry department labelled it the platform with the highest number of recorded crimes in 2024 . Then came November's ultimatum. On 29th November, Roskomnadzor declared Roblox's moderation system incapable of ensuring safety and accused the company of repeatedly failing to remove prohibited content since 2019 .

Three days later? Complete shutdown.

What Roskomnadzor Claims

The regulator accused Roblox of massive and repeated dissemination of materials with propaganda and justification of extremist and terrorist activities, calls for committing illegal violent actions, and LGBT propaganda . Strong language. The agency also raised serious allegations about children being exposed to sexual harassment, coerced into sharing intimate photos, and pushed toward lewd acts and violence .

These latter concerns mirror legitimate global worries about predator behaviour on the platform. But the Russian government's focus appears different. Back in July, Roskomnadzor said Roblox had deleted three materials depicting LGBT characters and attributes at the watchdog's demand , citing violation of Russian legislation after the Supreme Court granted recognition of the 'international LGBT movement' as extremist in November 2023 .

Worth noting: Russia banned Duolingo last year over references to what officials called "non-traditional sexual relations." Same playbook.

The Numbers Tell a Story

Around 100 million people use Roblox daily, with under-13s accounting for around 40 per cent of its 2024 users . In Russia specifically? About 4 million of Roblox's 150 million users just got locked out. The platform was Russia's most downloaded mobile game of 2023 according to Vedomosti newspaper.

The California-based Roblox Corporation finally responded. "We respect the local laws and regulations in the countries where we operate and believe Roblox provides a positive space for learning, creation and meaningful connection for everyone," a spokesperson told media outlets. They emphasised the company's safety commitment and use of both human review and AI tools to catch harmful content.

Sounds diplomatic. But here's the thing: Roblox genuinely struggles with moderation at scale when users create millions of experiences themselves.

Not Russia's First Rodeo

Rights organisations view this action as part of Russia's expanding internet control strategy . The country has increasingly threatened foreign technology companies with restrictions. WhatsApp got a warning last week about a potential ban. Viber and Signal? Already blocked. The pattern's clear.

Roblox has been banned by other countries including Qatar, Iraq and Turkey, primarily over child safety concerns, while the US states of Texas and Louisiana sued the app for the same reason . Turkey, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have all restricted access at various points.

The difference? Those nations cited straightforward child protection worries. Russia's ban statement leads with LGBT content and extremism accusations, with child safety seemingly tacked on as an afterthought despite being the more pressing global concern. The Guardian published an investigation in November highlighting how Roblox subjects minors to exploitation and harassment.

What Happens Next

Russian developers who built experiences on the platform face uncertainty. The ban cuts them off from the global Roblox ecosystem and its marketplace. Young Russian creators who were learning game development through the platform? Also shut out.

In July 2025, the Roblox Corporation reported 111.8 million average daily active users and nearly $1.1 billion in second-quarter revenue . Losing the Russian market stings but won't fundamentally damage the company's trajectory. Roblox's (RBLX) stock dropped just over 1 per cent on 3rd December after news broke, with it mostly recovering the following day.

Parents outside Russia might want to pay attention though. The legitimate child safety concerns Roskomnadzor mentioned exist everywhere Roblox operates. Reports of predatory behaviour on the platform aren't unique to Russia. The game's massive user-generated content library makes comprehensive moderation extraordinarily difficult.

Roblox has introduced age-verification tools and enhanced safety features recently. Whether those measures adequately protect young users remains an open question as regulatory scrutiny intensifies worldwide.

For now, Russian players are locked out. Some will turn to VPNs. Others will move to different platforms. The cycle continues: government censorship dressed up as protection, mixed with genuine concerns that deserve serious attention but get weaponised for political ends.