The government of Qatar has blocked access to the gaming platform Roblox following a surge of social media concerns regarding the safety of children playing the game.
As of Wednesday, users in Qatar found themselves unable to access Roblox, facing messages like “no network” and “site unreachable” when trying to reach the app or website. Although the app is available for download from Apple and Google Play in Qatar, it can’t be used once installed.
Reports indicate that significant “access issues” began to emerge within Roblox’s traffic in Qatar on Wednesday morning, according to Internet Freedom WatchDogs.
There have been large social media campaigns both within Qatar and beyond, advocating for the end of Roblox due to fears for children’s safety. Following the ban, numerous social media users who supported the anti-Roblox efforts started tagging US President Donald Trump, hoping for similar action in the U.S.
Roblox has faced criticism globally from child safety advocates in the U.S. for allegedly exposing kids to inappropriate content and predatory behavior. The platform blends social media with gaming, providing a vast “virtual world” where players can interact before playing games.
Critics argue that these social features are where inappropriate content can proliferate. While Roblox asserts that it has made efforts to regulate user behavior, the platform’s immense popularity among young children has created an environment deemed attractive to predators.
In October 2023, a man from Delaware was charged after meeting an 11-year-old girl from New Jersey through Roblox and grooming her. The company responded by saying they were willing to assist law enforcement, claiming it was a challenge to prevent grooming despite having a large team of moderators enforcing strict local standards.
In February 2025, litigation was filed in San Mateo, California, accusing Roblox and another gaming platform, Discord, of failing to protect a 13-year-old child from abuse. The lawsuit alleged that the platform inadequately defended against predators, as the child received direct messages from an adult seeking inappropriate exchanges.
This week, Roblox banned a YouTuber named “Schlep,” who gained popularity by confronting child predators on their platform. He, once an active Roblox player, decided to fight back after encountering a groomer.
Roblox lawyers issued a cease-and-desist order against Schlep for his actions, claiming they undermined the company’s safety efforts. His posts, however, have gained traction in persuading Qatar to implement the ban.
Schlep expressed outrage, stating, “A billion-dollar company is threatening me, but I’ll keep exposing predators on their platform.” He mentioned that he and his team had successfully apprehended six predators in the Roblox community, emphasizing that such situations are often overlooked.
Qatar isn’t the first nation to entirely block Roblox. Turkey had previously restricted access in August 2024, stating that the platform posed threats to social structure and child development.
Turkish officials did not specify particular incidents leading to the ban but criticized Roblox for providing a cryptocurrency, “robux,” that children can purchase and use.
Roblox appealed the ban in Turkey, suggesting that if access were restored, they would open physical offices in the country, claiming they could contribute positively to society through learning and creativity.
The company has offered to accommodate Turkey’s unique needs, but so far, its efforts to resume operations there have been unsuccessful.
Roblox has also faced bans in Oman and China. Oman issued a ban without providing detailed reasoning, while China has implemented strict regulations on gaming platforms to prevent the dissemination of foreign information. Roblox has attempted to create a compliant version for China, but it has yet to be released.
Roblox was temporarily banned in Jordan, the UAE, and Nepal, but those bans were later lifted. Naturally, Roblox is also banned in North Korea.
