A number of chatrooms on popular kids’ game Roblox are promoting “suicide” to young users, it has been claimed. The online gaming platform lets players program games and play existing ones, with around 45 per cent of users reportedly being aged 12 and under.
However online safety experts have warned some chatrooms which promote themes of “depression” have been visited 5.6 million times. The warning was published by Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board, an inter-agency group between police, council and health organisations that works to promote children’s safety and wellbeing.
The organisation wrote on its website: “Due to the popularity of online gaming platform Roblox with children and young people under the age of 16, online safety experts have released this safeguarding update about a collection of games trending within the platform. The games depict themes of isolation, cutting, and suicide with some including chatrooms where users engage in unmoderated discussions around hopelessness, depression, self-harm, and suicide.”
It added: “With 75 per cent of children not receiving the mental health assistance they need, it is worrying that vulnerable children may be turning to these kinds of online communities for support and advice.
“Several of these depression room games on Roblox have up to 5.6 million visits and are advertised as being appropriate for ‘all ages’. Despite being explicitly against the platform’s terms of service, Roblox have failed to remove most of these harmful games from the platform at this time.”
Source: Warning as Roblox chatrooms ‘promoting suicide to child gamers’ (msn.com)
Categories: News