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Roblox was just banned in Turkey to 'protect children.' What's Australia doing?
RobloxRoblox(US:RBLX) TechXploreยท2024-08-12 15:05

Core Viewpoint - Roblox, a popular online gaming platform primarily for children, has faced a ban in Turkey due to concerns over child safety and inappropriate content [3][4][9]. User Engagement - Roblox reported an average of 79.5 million daily users in Q2 2024, with users spending a total of 17.4 billion hours on the platform, averaging over 200 hours per user annually or around 40 minutes daily [2]. Regulatory Actions - Turkey's Justice Minister stated the ban was necessary to protect children, citing a 2007 internet governance law [4]. The Adana 6th Criminal Court of Peace ordered the ban, which was implemented swiftly under the law's provisions [5]. Content Moderation Challenges - Roblox has been criticized for insufficient content moderation, with reports of children encountering inappropriate content and harassment [8][9]. In 2023, Roblox made 13,316 reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a significant increase from 2,973 in 2022, raising skepticism about the effectiveness of their moderation efforts given the large user base [10]. Global Context - The issue of child safety on platforms like Roblox is not isolated, as other platforms are also facing scrutiny and implementing measures to protect children [11]. Recent efforts include partnerships with third parties to enhance monitoring and safety [12]. Initiatives for Improvement - Roblox has engaged in initiatives to improve safety, such as joining the Australian eSafety Commission's Tier 1 social media program and hiring a director of digital civility to develop educational resources for children [14][15]. Continuous improvement in monitoring systems is emphasized as essential for protecting users [16].