Egypt has announced plans to block the popular online gaming platform Roblox, a move that places the country at the center of a growing regional and global debate over child safety, digital access, and content governance in the metaverse.
Regulatory Action on Child Safety
The decision to restrict access was introduced by Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation. This action follows increasing calls from national lawmakers to regulate the platform due to concerns about its impact on the moral, educational, and psychological wellbeing of children.
While a detailed technical justification for the ban has not yet been provided, authorities have confirmed that discussions are underway with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to ensure the block is effectively enforced.
A Regional Trend in Content Moderation
Egypt’s move is not an isolated incident in the MENA region. Similar restrictions on Roblox have been implemented in other countries, including Qatar and Turkey, which also cited concerns over online safety and the platform’s content moderation policies for its young user base.
Roblox has previously adjusted certain platform features across the Middle East to address safety concerns. However, Egyptian authorities have reportedly deemed these measures insufficient, prompting the more decisive action of a complete block.
The Path Forward for Digital Platforms
The restriction on Roblox comes as Egypt’s parliament engages in broader discussions concerning children’s digital access and social media consumption. This suggests a wider push towards creating a more regulated digital environment for young users in the country.
The future of Roblox’s availability in Egypt remains uncertain, with officials indicating that the restriction could be revisited depending on future engagement and dialogue between the platform and national regulators.
About Roblox
Roblox is a global online platform and storefront where users can play a wide variety of games. A key feature of the platform is that the games are not created by Roblox Corporation itself, but by its community of users. With a global user base of approximately 100 million people, a significant portion of its audience consists of users under the age of 13.
Source: MEA TechWatch
