Roblox Halts Chat in UAE: Safety Measures

Roblox Temporarily Disables Chat in UAE: Impact on Kids and Parents

In the world of online games, every small change creates giant waves, especially when it involves platforms popular with children and youths. Recently, a significant change occurred in the United Arab Emirates: the popular online gaming platform Roblox temporarily disabled its chat features in the region. The decision is based on serious safety concerns and aims to provide enhanced protection for young players.

What exactly happened?

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) issued a joint statement with Roblox announcing that the platform is temporarily disabling certain communication features that could potentially pose a risk to children. As part of this, chat features within games have become inaccessible to UAE users.

This decision is not an isolated measure: in recent weeks, several Middle Eastern countries, such as Oman and Qatar, have completely banned Roblox. However, the UAE chose an intermediate solution that balances maintaining access and increased safety.

Why did this happen?

The primary reason is the online safety of children. Roblox is extremely popular among the 8–16 age group and is often the first social interaction space where children engage with other, unknown users. Although the platform has basic moderation and filtering tools, authorities argue that these were insufficient for Arabic-language content, where AI-based filters and moderators often failed to properly interpret linguistic and cultural nuances.

Therefore, Roblox has committed to:

- Temporarily disabling Arabic-language chats,

- Enhancing its moderation tools for the Arabic language,

- Strengthening parental controls,

- And implementing general security system improvements.

How does this affect users?

The changes have already been implemented. Several users in the UAE have reported receiving warning messages upon entry, stating that due to regional settings, they cannot use the chat feature. Later, the interface simply removed the icons and options associated with chatting.

This means that currently, it is not possible to communicate with other players through text within the games—neither publicly nor in private messages. This primarily affects games where social interaction is an integral part of the gameplay. For example, role-playing-based experiences like “Brookhaven” or “Adopt Me” lose much of their appeal if players cannot freely communicate with each other.

Role and Responsibility of Parents

Both TDRA and Roblox emphasized: the role of parents and guardians is crucial in creating online safety. While the platform strives to minimize risks with all technical tools, real safety can only be achieved if parents actively participate in their child's online presence.

Some recommendations for parents:

- Talk to children about online behavior and make them aware of potential dangers.

- Go through Roblox parental settings together and activate age-appropriate filters.

- Use the reporting and feedback tools available within the platform if a problem is noticed.

- Be open to children's experiences and don't overreact if something unpleasant is experienced—rather, help them process the events.

What does the future hold?

The statement made it clear that disabling the chat is not permanent. The goal is for Roblox developers to implement moderation systems that make communication safe for Arabic-speaking audiences as well. Artificial intelligence, human moderators, and new technologies will be employed for this.

As these systems are integrated and operate successfully, chat options can gradually return to users. Until then, the focus of the platform remains on the gameplay experience and individual game modes.

Why is this important?

The case of Roblox highlights that the world of digital games is not merely entertainment but also a responsible social space. Children's presence in the online space not only provides an opportunity to unleash their creativity but also harbors numerous dangers. The collaboration between authorities and platforms, as demonstrated now by the UAE and Roblox, can be a model for other regions and tech companies.

Disabling communication may initially seem like a drastic step, but if it helps prevent harassment, misleading information, or any harmful experiences, it ultimately only strengthens user safety in the long run. The ultimate goal is for children to participate in online gameplay experiences safely and age-appropriately—and for this, every participant, whether developer, authority, or parent, has their role.

The example of Roblox and the UAE shows that in the digital world, safety is not an option, but a fundamental requirement. And if this means a few weeks of silence, games without conversation, it is still better than a single unwanted, traumatic experience.

(Source of the article: Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) statement.)