ANKARA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish government on Thursday blocked access to video game platform Roblox over concerns that its content could cause child abuse.
"Our country is obliged to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of our children," Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on social media platform X, noting that a Turkish court blocked access to the game platform and its links in the application markets.
Noting that the block on Roblox aims to "protect children," ruling Justice and Development Party Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala told the NTV broadcaster that negotiations with Instagram and Roblox were still ongoing.
Aslan Degirmenci, the digital media coordinator of the Turkish presidency, said on X that the decision was taken due to "sexually explicit posts that cause abuse of children, organizing virtual parties encouraging homosexuality, and of children to partake in these behaviors through the distribution of virtual money" on the Roblox platform.
The ban came nearly one week after Türkiye blocked access to Instagram.
Türkiye blocked access to Instagram on Friday, and the authorities have not given specific reasons for the ban. ■
