Access the PIL here.
We missed this earlier: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has issued notices to the Union government and other authorities in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to bar minors from accessing Roblox and similar online gaming platforms. Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla issued the order after hearing petitioner Rani Singh, who appeared in person. The respondents must submit their responses at the next hearing.
Roblox is an online platform that allows users, many of whom are children, to play and create games developed by other users. Players can design worlds and characters, interact in real time, and purchase in-game items with Robux, the platform’s virtual currency.
What does the petition demand? The PIL requests a writ of mandamus, a court order compelling a public authority to perform a duty it is legally bound to carry out, directing government authorities, including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to ban minors from accessing Roblox and similar platforms. It asks the court to consider Roblox as representative of a broader category of games that may pose risks to children, citing PUBG, Free Fire MAX, the Grand Theft Auto series, Battlefield, Fortnite, and “Manhunt” as comparable examples.
The petition alleges that these platforms expose Indian minors to sexual grooming, violent content, psychological harm, financial exploitation, unregulated chatrooms, and predatory behaviour. It further argues that these games enable real-time social interaction, user-generated content and avatars, and virtual-currency transactions without effective age verification, parental authentication, or government oversight, placing them in conflict with Indian child-protection law.
Who is named in the case? In addition to the Union government and MeitY, the petition lists the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the Uttar Pradesh State Commissioner for Protection of Child Rights, and the Online Gaming Authority of India as parties. Roblox is also named as a respondent through the managing director of Roblox India Services Pvt. Ltd.
Other relief sought: In addition to an access ban, the petition requests the court to mandate awareness campaigns in schools to inform students, parents, and teachers about the physical, mental, and safety risks associated with online gaming. It also seeks the formation of a high-level committee comprising child psychologists, cybersecurity experts, AI moderators, and law enforcement officials to assess risks and recommend protective measures.
The petition also cites disruptions to children’s sleep and eating routines, as well as distress among young players when asked to reduce screen time or transition to offline activities, as evidence of the platforms’ addictive design.
Roblox’s wider scrutiny: The petition comes as Roblox faces increasing global scrutiny over child safety…
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