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Iraq Bans Roblox Over Child Safety and Moral Concerns

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The Iraqi government has announced a nationwide ban on the U.S.-based gaming platform Roblox (RBLX.O), citing child safety and moral concerns, as part of a wider crackdown across the Middle East on online games and virtual worlds.

Officials said the decision followed a comprehensive government study and field monitoring, which found that Roblox enabled direct communication between users — a feature they claimed exposed children and adolescents to online exploitation, cyber-extortion, and harmful behavior. The government also said the game’s content was “incompatible with Iraq’s social values and traditions.”

Roblox Corporation responded that safety was its top priority and expressed interest in working with Iraqi authorities to restore access. “We strongly contest recent claims made by the Iraqi authorities, which we believe are based on an outdated understanding of our platform,” a company spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that Roblox had already suspended certain communication features, such as in-game chat, in Arabic-speaking regions, including Iraq, earlier this year as part of ongoing safety updates.

The Iraqi Ministry of Communications stated that the platform “involves several security, social, and behavioral risks,” emphasizing that the move was taken to protect young users.

The ban aligns Iraq with other Middle Eastern nations that have tightened regulation of digital entertainment platforms. In August 2024, Turkey similarly blocked access to Roblox, citing risks of child exploitation and abuse.

Analysts say the decision reflects a broader regional effort to regulate online gaming and interactive media, balancing youth protection with the growing popularity of global virtual platforms.

Florida Attorney General Targets Roblox With Criminal Subpoenas Over Child Safety Concerns

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Florida’s Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that his office has issued criminal subpoenas to Roblox Corp, accusing the gaming platform of becoming a “breeding ground for predators” that endangers children. In a statement shared on X, Uthmeier condemned the company, saying Roblox “enabled our kids to be abused” while profiting from them.

The subpoenas aim to uncover evidence about alleged criminal activities on the platform, including communications between suspected predators and victims. Roblox, which has over 70 million daily users — most of them minors — has been under growing scrutiny over child safety.

Concerns about the platform intensified after a Hindenburg Research report last year accused Roblox of failing to protect its young audience. In response, Roblox increased investments in user protection, implementing tighter messaging restrictions for children under 13, AI-based monitoring, and strict content moderation.

In a statement to Reuters, Roblox emphasized that it prohibits image and video sharing in chat, blocks personal information exchange, and is working on age estimation systems for users. “While no system is perfect, our teams and automated tools continuously monitor communications,” the company said.

The controversy extends beyond U.S. borders: Iraq banned Roblox this week, claiming its chat features expose children to exploitation and cyber-extortion. Meanwhile, Roblox faces multiple U.S. lawsuits — including in Louisiana and San Francisco — alleging the company fails to prevent sexual predators from targeting minors.

Roblox Unveils Short-Form Video App, Boosts Developer Payouts

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Roblox announced Friday the launch of a short-form video app and a raise in creator earnings, as the gaming platform seeks to deepen engagement and expand beyond gameplay.

The new app, called “Roblox Moments”, is now in beta. Modeled after TikTok, it will allow users to capture, edit, and share clips of gameplay on a centralized platform. The move could redirect the billions of views Roblox-related content currently receives on YouTube and other sites back into Roblox’s ecosystem, amplifying engagement among its 111.8 million daily active users.

At its developer conference, CEO David Baszucki also announced an 8.5% increase in developer cash-out rates when converting in-game currency Robux into real money. The adjustment comes as Roblox leans harder into supporting its creator economy, which generated over $1 billion for developers in the past year, with more than 100 games surpassing $1 million annually.

Roblox has been evolving into a multifunctional platform—a space for gaming, socializing, advertising, and commerce. Earlier this year, it launched new advertising formats and struck a partnership with Google to grow its ad business and create additional revenue streams for creators.

By combining short-form content with more generous payouts, Roblox is positioning itself as both a creator-friendly platform and a competitor in the broader social media and entertainment space.