Surabaya, E. Java. Surabaya’s education department has officially banned elementary and junior high school students from playing the popular online game Roblox, over concerns of violent content and its potential psychological impact on children.

Head of the Surabaya Education Office, Yusuf Masruh, said the policy aims to protect children in their formative years, who are more likely to mimic virtual behaviors.

“If Roblox contains a lot of violence, especially when elementary students easily imitate and practice such scenes, then it becomes dangerous,” Yusuf said on Friday.

The move follows a warning from Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti, who earlier this week urged students nationwide to stop playing Roblox, saying the game contains fighting, violence, and inappropriate language.

“If the central government has already prohibited it, we have to follow through,” Yusuf said.

The education office has issued a circular to all schools in Surabaya, instructing teachers to promote healthy digital habits. “Teachers are already guiding children on healthy digital use, when to go online and what content is appropriate,” Yusuf said. He stressed the ban was not a blanket prohibition on technology but a call for parental supervision to complement school efforts.

National Ban Not Yet in Place
Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said there are no current plans to block Roblox nationwide, though the game remains under review by the ministry’s Directorate General for Digital Space Oversight.

“We’ll wait for the directorate’s evaluation. They monitor continuously, but there’s been no recommendation yet,” Meutya said on Wednesday.

Roblox, an online platform that lets users create and play user-generated games, has over 85 million daily active users globally, with an estimated 40 percent under the age of 13. While it fosters creativity and programming skills, critics warn its open-ended nature allows exposure to violence and inappropriate interactions.

A 2025 investigation by The Guardian and research group Revealing Reality found children as young as five accessing unsuitable content through Roblox’s voice chat feature. The study also flagged weak age verification systems, enabling minors to interact freely with adults.

The dangers have occasionally spilled into real life. In July, East Kalimantan police arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly blackmailing a 15-year-old Swedish girl he met on Roblox. Authorities said the suspect coerced the victim into sending explicit material, then demanded $500 to keep it private.

Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman has said the company prioritizes user safety and introduced more than 40 new safety features in 2024 alone. “We remain committed to improving safety and civility for all our users,” he told The Guardian.

Deputy Chair of House Commission X Lalu Hadrian Irfani said the minister’s warning was meant to keep students focused on their studies. “Excessive gaming is unhealthy for our students, especially when the games feature violent content,” he said.

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