Russian Ban On Roblox Gaming Platform Sparks Rare Protest (reuters.com)
- Reference: 0180392285
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/12/15/2121240/russian-ban-on-roblox-gaming-platform-sparks-rare-protest
- Source link: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/russian-ban-roblox-gaming-platform-sparks-rare-protest-2025-12-14/
> Several dozen people protested on Sunday in the Siberian city of Tomsk against [1]Russia's ban on U.S. children's gaming platform Roblox, a [2]rare show of public dissent as popular irritation over the ban gains some momentum . In wartime Russia, censorship is extensive: Moscow blocks or restricts social media platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube while distributing its own narrative through a network of social media and Russian media. Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said on December 3 it had blocked Roblox because it was "rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children."
>
> In Tomsk, 2,900 km (1,800 miles) east of Moscow, several dozen people braved the snow to hold up hand-drawn placards reading "Hands off Roblox" and "Roblox is the victim of the digital Iron Curtain" in Vladimir Vysotsky Park, according to photographs provided by an organizer of the protest. "Bans and blocks are all you are able to do," read one placard. The photographs showed about 25 people standing in a circle in the snow, holding up placards. 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 digitalized world where children can bypass many bans in a few clicks.
[1] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/12/04/186254/russia-blocks-roblox-apples-facetime
[2] https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/russian-ban-roblox-gaming-platform-sparks-rare-protest-2025-12-14/
Convincing us all the worst about Russia now? (Score:2, Troll)
This almost seems to be convincing us that the absolute worst statements about Russian culture today are accurate. Invade another country, continue that invasion with warcrimes and drafting of young men to be sent as cannon fodder, barely a whimper. But interfere with a videogame platform, and now we have a protest. Pretty despicable priorities. On the other hand, this may be overly negative; this protest itself seems small, and it may be that people expect less pushback or jailing of protesters about this
Re: (Score:1)
In the US beer riots would probably be the equivalent. The gov't can take away everything else (in some cases are ), but touch the beer and all Hell breaks loose.
Re: (Score:1)
I think that you right in both the points:
* It does say a lot about priorities of people of russia, and
* It does show that Putin's tolerance for protesting this kind of issues is probably higher.
Not sure that this changes anything in my view of it.
Re: (Score:1)
> It does show that Putin's tolerance for protesting this kind of issues is probably higher.
He might be allowing it as a ruse to paint all protestors as spoiled brats.
Putin might make a deal (Score:1)
..."Kill 10 Ukrainian soldiers, and you get your game back."
Off too the meat grinder. (Score:2)
Anyone taking bets on how long until the protesters are conscripted to die in Ukraine?
Wartime Russia? (Score:2)
I thought it was a "special operation", or have Russian people started to notice otherwise?
Re: (Score:1)
Ironically those still alive have good job prospects because of the busy war economy and because their competition died. There's not a lot to buy, but they can brag about their grand promotions.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Russia's ban on Roblox has nothing to do with children, aside from being a convenient scapegoat. It is banned because it allows uncensored speech, and totalitarian dictatorships can't have that.