Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
In Russia, the ban on Roblox has triggered a debate over censorship, child safety in relation to technology and even the effectiveness of censorship in a digitalised world where children can bypass many bans in a few clicks.
Many Russians simply circumvent bans by using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), though some young Russians have questioned the logic of a ban if it can be so easily bypassed while others have questioned why there are so few Russian alternatives to the apps which the state has banned.
Some Russian parents and teachers have said they were concerned Roblox allowed children to access sexual content and communicate with adults.
Roblox, headquartered in San Mateo, California, has been banned by several countries including Iraq and Turkey over concerns about predators exploiting the platform to abuse children.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. When the Russian ban was introduced, Roblox said it has "a deep commitment to safety" and provides "rigorous built-in protections to help keep users safe".
Russian officials say they need censorship to defend against a sophisticated "information war" unleashed by Western powers, and what they cast as decadent Western culture which undermines "traditional" Russian values.