Roblox, one of the world’s most popular gaming platforms, has suspended its chat features in Bahrain and several other Middle Eastern countries following mounting concerns about child safety.
The move – which disables both text and voice chat – was confirmed by Bahraini electronic games specialist Ghalib Abdullah, who said the decision came after a series of incidents involving misuse of the chat function to lure children into inappropriate activities.
“The suspension of chat options in Roblox is a welcome step given the growing number of cases recently reported,” Mr Abdullah told the GDN.
“Unfortunately, some individuals were exploiting these features to target young users, particularly children. This suspension will help limit such risks.”
The US-based company, Roblox Corporation, announced it had decided to suspend in-game chat across the Middle East in co-ordination with regional regulators.
According to the company, the measure is designed to strengthen child protection, introduce stricter parental controls, and enhance moderation tools in Arabic.
Several Arab countries had already moved to restrict or block the chat features, prompting Roblox to apply a unified approach across the region.
Mr Abdullah urged parents to play an active role in monitoring their children’s gaming activities.
“Parents must ensure their children enter their real ages when registering for Roblox or any other game,” he said.
“This helps activate age-appropriate safety restrictions and blocks risky features for younger players. At the same time, families must supervise and guide their children’s gaming habits.”
He added that while the decision may affect Roblox’s popularity – given that it is fundamentally a social game built around player interaction – the long-term priority should be the protection of children.
“The company needs to introduce stronger safeguards and restrictions so that children cannot be exposed to exploitation,” he stressed.
“Games should not remain entirely open to everyone without clear checks.
“The debate highlights a broader challenge facing regulators worldwide: How to balance the entertainment value of online gaming platforms with the need to shield children from online threats.”
Bahraini MP Hamad Al Doy, who has submitted a proposal to entirely ban Roblox, praised the suspension, noting it came in response to a request from Bahrain following numerous complaints about unethical practices on the platform.
“This is an important and timely step,” he told the GDN.
“Suspending chats will provide major protection for children against potential blackmail, harassment, or exploitation.”
The legislator stressed that Bahrain had received a significant number of grievances from parents concerned about their children’s exposure to inappropriate conversations and online predators through Roblox.
He called for the decision to be extended as a model across other digital platforms.
“We hope this move is not limited to Roblox, but also applied to any electronic games that pose risks to children’s security and well-being,” Mr Al Doy said.
“There must be greater oversight of digital entertainment content to ensure families can trust what their children are accessing.”
The suspension of chat features could alter the way Roblox is played in the region.
Analysts point out that the game’s appeal lies in its interactive, community-driven experience. Without real-time communication, users may shift to alternative platforms.
However, safety advocates argue that stronger protections are essential in a region where Arabic-language monitoring tools are still under development.
Mr Al Doy’s proposal to ban Roblox has been referred by Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam to the services committee for review.
The game has already been banned in its entirety in several countries, including three in the GCC. Qatar blocked access following public social media pressure over child safety and predator risks.
Kuwait also banned the game last month due to ‘negative impact on children’ while Oman banned the game almost five years ago due to what it described as ‘safety and content concerns’.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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