EU Probes Roblox’s Child Safety Under New Digital Services Act Investigation
The U.S. State Department is developing a “freedom.gov” portal to bypass censorship by providing access to European- and other governments’-blocked content via optional VPN routing, though launch was postponed after legal concerns. European regulators have opened investigations into Roblox’s compliance with the EU Digital Services Act over its platform’s protection of minors.
1. US State Department Portal Plans
The State Department is building freedom.gov to grant users access to content banned by European and other governments, including material classified as hate speech or terrorist propaganda. The platform is designed with an optional VPN feature to route traffic through U.S. servers to avoid censorship and user monitoring.
2. Launch Postponed After Legal Review
Originally slated for announcement at a recent security conference, the portal’s rollout was delayed following internal legal reviews by State Department lawyers concerned about potential liabilities and compliance with international laws. No new launch date has been disclosed.
3. EU DSA Investigations Target Roblox's Child Safety
Under the EU’s Digital Services Act, regulators have initiated investigations into several tech platforms for content and user safety violations, explicitly including Roblox. The probe focuses on the company’s tools and policies for protecting minors from harmful content.
4. Implications for Roblox’s Compliance and Reputation
Regulatory scrutiny in Europe could result in fines, stricter oversight, or mandated policy changes that may increase compliance costs for Roblox. The company will need to demonstrate effective child protection measures or face potential operational and financial risks in the EU market.