Roblox is facing backlash over its newly implemented guidelines concerning “sensitive issues,” which advocacy groups are calling a regression for both artistic freedom and social justice.

In August, the platform rolled out a content descriptor aimed at enhancing parental controls for experiences related to social, political, or religious matters. However, the company clarified that the descriptor is not intended to express a position on any particular issue.

This move has prompted an open letter from advocacy organizations such as Women In Games, Out Making Games, and BAME in Games, which advocate for underrepresented groups.

The letter criticizes Roblox’s updated creator guidelines on “sensitive issues,” stating that they threaten the inclusive and vibrant creative community that has developed on the platform since its inception in 2006. The groups argue that these changes could inflict various harms on marginalized communities.

The fundamental concern is that by labeling certain issues this way, Roblox risks framing matters of equality and human rights as “debatable” rather than essential.

According to Roblox’s criteria, the descriptor applies to experiences that focus predominantly on sensitive topics, which encompass areas like immigration, capital punishment, gun control, marriage equality, pay equity in sports, racial profiling, and reproductive rights, among others.

The advocacy groups acknowledge the importance of keeping children safe online, particularly girls, who are often subjected to heightened harassment and grooming. However, they assert that prioritizing safety should not come at the expense of silencing content that is crucial for education and empowerment.

The letter emphasizes that subjects like equal pay, reproductive rights, and gender equality are integral to the realities faced by girls and women. Classifying these as “sensitive” threatens to obscure vital content that contributes to representation and inspiration.

The groups denounce the suppression of these experiences as “false neutrality,” warning that instead of protecting children, this policy might convey to Roblox’s diverse audience that issues of justice and equality are merely controversial opinions rather than universal principles, thereby deepening existing divides.

The organizations advocate for Roblox to adopt well-established age-rating systems like PEGI and the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), rather than creating a vague and potentially misused “sensitive issues” label.

Roblox has yet to respond to the concerns highlighted in the open letter.

Additionally, back in July, Roblox introduced new safety features, including an AI tool designed to assess a user’s age through a video selfie, which is set to be extended to all users by the end of the year.