Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia’s Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid has urged Roblox developers to overhaul the platform to comply with the country’s child protection regulations, and had threatened the platform with possible ban.
The call comes amid growing concerns from parents and educators about inappropriate content and interactions on Roblox, pushing the Ministry to ban the popular online gaming platform.
“We stress the importance of respecting and adhering to Indonesia’s child protection laws,” Meutya said after meeting representatives from Roblox Asia Pacific at the ministry’s central Jakarta headquarters on Thursday, according to an official statement.
The ministry has requested Roblox to restrict communication between underage users, filter out vulgar user-generated content, and make parental controls more transparent.
“These changes will ensure Indonesian children are shielded from harmful content and interactions in the digital space,” Meutya said, adding that Roblox, registered locally as an Electronic System Provider (PSE) since 2022, should help create a safe, beneficial, and productive online environment.
“We hope Roblox will set an example of how a platform can prioritize the safety of young users, making Indonesia’s digital space a comfortable place for learning, playing, and creating,” she added.
Meutya said the ministry will give Roblox time to make improvements and will conduct regular evaluations to ensure compliance. The talks, she noted, are still at an early stage, with follow-up meetings planned.
The minister also signaled that the government may consider blocking the game if its operators fail to meet regulatory standards.
“We will call them back periodically before deciding whether to block it, impose stricter age restrictions, or ideally see Roblox fully implement comprehensive improvements for Indonesia within one or two months,” she told state news agency Antara.
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The push follows a request from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) for a formal investigation into alleged harm to minors from Roblox. Kawiyan, a KPAI commissioner overseeing child victims of pornography and cybercrimes, said some children have suffered serious physical, psychological, and social impacts from exposure to harmful online games and platforms.
He warned that misuse of gaming platforms, including playing outside recommended age ratings, has led to exploitation, fraud, cyberbullying, and the promotion of violence. Lapses by platform operators in safeguarding young users, he added, have left children even more vulnerable.
(Raidi/Agung)
