Roblox is officially banned in Turkey to ensure ‘protection of our children’

Children in Turkey will no longer be able to play Roblox as it has officially been banned, despite it being one of the biggest video games in the world with almost 72 million daily active users.

It is widely played by children globally but it has received criticisms about exploiting user labor and safety which is why it is no longer playable in the Middle Eastern country.

The Minister of Justice shared the announcement via X (formerly Twitter) and said that access to the game had been blocked by the Adana 6th Criminal Court of Peace.

Çocukların istismarına neden olacak içerikler barındırması sebebiyle Roblox isimli oyun platformuna ve uygulama marketlerindeki linklerine, Adana Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı tarafından yürütülen soruşturma kapsamında “İnternet Ortamında Yapılan Yayınların Düzenlenmesi ve Bu Yayınlar…

— Yılmaz TUNÇ (@yilmaztunc) August 7, 2024

This has followed an investigation which was carried out by the Adana Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office which found that “the content could lead to the exploitation of children…”

The minister writes: “It is everyone’s duty to look out for, protect and support the best interests of our children, the guarantor of our future.

“Turkey is one of the countries that closely follows developments in the world and uses technology in the best way. However, using technology in a negative way is never acceptable.”

The exact details of the investigation haven’t yet been made public.

‘Stay away from populist and irresponsible rhetoric,’ said the Turkey minister as Roblox is banned

It was in April when the CEO of Roblox, David Baszucki, told The Verge: “Obviously everyone wants to keep kids safe.” This followed heavy criticism at the beginning of the month as the company was accused of exploiting user labor and maintaining unfavorable exchange rates.

“Everyone who thinks about the future of our country and our nation and is in a position of responsibility should approach such situations targeting our children with sensitivity and stay away from populist and irresponsible rhetoric,” said the minister.

“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.”

Featured Image: Photo by Oberon Copeland @veryinformed.com on Unsplash

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