Overview
- Russia’s Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Ministry lifted nationwide restrictions on Roblox after saying the company had “fully complied” with Russian legal requirements on child safety.
- The ministry said Roblox implemented additional protections including a mechanism to restrict access by age group and expanded moderation commitments beyond earlier chat limits and AI and human review.
- Officials and pro‑Kremlin groups cited a large wave of public pressure as a key factor, with reports of about 63,000 letters and petitions from children and parents and visible protests that forced the issue onto the political agenda.
- Roskomnadzor originally blocked Roblox in December for alleged distribution of extremist material, promotion of LGBTQ+ content and risks of sexual or violent harm to minors, concerns the state said the company has now addressed.
- The move restores access for millions of young users but keeps Roblox under closer regulatory scrutiny and fits a broader pattern of Russia using broad safety and legal rules to push foreign social platforms to change how they operate in the country.