Online gaming platform has been banned nationwide in Turkey, with officials from Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications outlining a range of ongoing concerns about the popular game, and how children utilise it. Chief amongst these is concerns of alleged child “exploitation” driven by reported sexual content on the platform, and allegations of pedophilia taking place online. The move to ban also follows a similar Turkey-wide ban on Instagram, which was blocked five days prior, reportedly with .
‘s recently-initiated ban has been made slightly clearer by an explanation provided to by a spokesperson from the Türkiye Directorate of Communications. Per this spokesperson, the reason for the ban is fourfold. Firstly, the government aims to prevent children from being exposed to adult content, as it’s alleged may incidentally provide this material to those underage.
Secondly, the Türkiye Directorate of Communications has alleged “rampant reports of pedophilia” on the platform, further alleging that it could be a “gathering spot for pedophiles” due to the high number of children who play . It has also expressed concerns that the game provides “incentives for children through virtual currency” and it has alleged bots frequently distribute Robux (in-game currency) to kids, which then may encourage future purchases, and potential gambling behaviour. The Türkiye Directorate of Communications has further expressed doubts around the ability of ‘s development.