KRG Issues Regional Ban on Online Game Roblox, Citing Safety Concerns for Minors
The decision was formalized on Thursday through Ministerial Decree No. 3674, issued by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a move to protect minors from harmful online content, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has officially banned the popular online platform Roblox, effectively extending a recent federal Iraqi prohibition to the region.
The decision was formalized on Thursday through Ministerial Decree No. 3674, issued by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The decree adds the U.S.-based game-creation platform to the KRG's existing list of censored programs, websites, and applications.
The ministry has directed all internet service providers (ISPs) operating in the Kurdistan Region to immediately comply with the new regulations. A key stipulation of the ban mandates the removal of Roblox from any family-oriented internet packages.
This regional action follows a broader ban implemented by the Federal Government of Iraq on October 21. Iraqi authorities justified their decision by pointing to "serious concerns" about the platform's content and its potential risks to children.
The primary reasons cited for the prohibition include:
Exposure to Inappropriate Content: The presence of user-generated "sexual content" and experiences that violate religious and social norms, described as "blasphemy."
Risk of Online Exploitation: Significant concerns about the platform being used as a tool for "online blackmail targeting minors."
By issuing its own decree, the KRG has aligned its digital safety policy with the federal government's stance, ensuring the ban is uniformly enforced across internet services in the Kurdistan Region.
While Roblox is a global platform popular with children for its creative and social games, regulators in Iraq and the KRG have concluded that the potential dangers outweigh its benefits. The focus of the ban is squarely on preventing minors from encountering predatory behavior and age-inappropriate material disguised within the game's vast library of user-created experiences.
The KRG's directive to ISPs underscores the government's intent to treat the platform as unsuitable for family use, requiring providers to proactively block access at the network level.
Compliance from local internet service providers is expected swiftly following the ministerial decree.
