Egypt is implementing strict restrictions on Roblox to minimize risks for youth

Recently, regulatory authorities in Egypt decided to block the popular gaming platform Roblox due to serious concerns about the potential harmful effects of online content on the mental health and development of children. According to the financial information portal Jin10, this decision will be coordinated between the Supreme Council for Media Regulation and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Egypt.

Official Reasons and Public Justification

Although the Middle Eastern news agency initially did not disclose specific motivating factors, the official media outlet Al-Ahram provided a more detailed explanation. The publication cited statements from an Egyptian senator who emphasized the critical importance of regulatory measures to preserve the moral and educational values of youth. According to him, active measures are necessary to counteract the psychological and behavioral risks arising from children’s exposure to unmoderated online content.

Context of Global Restrictions and Platform Response

Roblox has previously faced regulatory restrictions in several Middle Eastern countries. Specifically, in past years, the platform was restricted in Qatar and Turkey. In response to increased safety requirements, Roblox announced plans last year to limit certain functionalities for users within its Middle Eastern audience. These measures aimed to improve cybersecurity and adapt to local legal and regulatory requirements in the region.

Thus, Egypt joins a number of countries actively regulating digital content to protect youth, setting a precedent for further regulatory interventions in the online entertainment sector.