Roblox indicates it will comply with Russian law to have its services unblocked

Popular online gaming platform Roblox has informed Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor that it will comply with Russian law to have a block imposed on it earlier this month lifted, the regulator announced on Wednesday.

Roskomnadzor said that Roblox’s management had recognised the lack of moderation and security problems in the platform’s chat functions and committed to remove “destructive and dangerous information” and counter “the criminal actions and communications of users on the platform”.

“If this is more than just a statement, and reflects a true willingness on the part of the platform to change its attitude to ensuring child safety online, then Roskomnadzor will engage with the platform as it does with any other service that complies with Russian law,” the statement read.

Roblox told Russian news agency TASS on Wednesday that the platform was willing to temporarily disable its chat function for users in Russia so that they could access the Roblox again.

Roblox was blocked in Russia earlier this month after it was accused of distributing “LGBT” and “extremist” content. Roskomnadzor also raised concerns about child safety online, alleging the presence of content which could potentially threaten children’s “spiritual and moral development”, as well as the heightened risk underage users ran of being sexually harassed on the platform, something it said was “a frequent occurrence” in both the US and Russia.