Malang, E. Java. The popular online game Roblox is at the center of debate in Indonesia, as educators and authorities weigh its value as a learning tool against concerns over violent and explicit content.

Dr. Arina Restian, a primary school education lecturer at Muhammadiyah University Malang, described Roblox as a “double-edged platform” that can foster skills in mathematics, focus, and strategy, but also expose children to harmful material.

“Roblox has both positive and negative sides,” she told Beritasatu.com, a sister publication of The Jakarta Globe, on Tuesday. “It can support project-based learning, but there are risks such as violence and pornography if not properly supervised.”

Arina urged that the use of the platform be guided by Indonesia’s Child Protection Law and anti-pornography regulations. She outlined safeguards including official age controls, digital literacy education, and collaboration between schools, parents, and technology providers.

Her comments follow a move by Surabaya’s education department to ban elementary and junior high school students from playing Roblox, citing its potential psychological impact. Nationally, Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said there are no immediate plans to block the game, though it remains under review by the ministry’s Directorate General for Digital Space Oversight.

Amid the controversy, Muhammadiyah University Yogyakarta (UMY) has taken an opposite approach, using Roblox as a marketing tool. The university recently launched a virtual campus map on Roblox, targeting high school students and prospective undergraduates aged 16 and above.

“This is part of our strategy to engage Generation Z, particularly those searching for a university,” said UMY SecretaryBachtiar Dwi Kurniawan. “Many Roblox users are teenagers and young adults interested in educational exploration and creative simulations, and our campus map offers exactly that.”

The virtual campus allows prospective students to explore UMY’s environment interactively. Bachtiar stressed that the project is not designed as children’s entertainment, but as an educational gamification tool to present campus information in an engaging way.

Roblox, which allows users to create and play games made by others, has more than 85 million daily active users worldwide, about 40 percent of them under 13. Critics warn its open-ended nature leaves minors vulnerable to 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, with weak age verification enabling free interaction between minors and adults.

The risks have at times spilled into real life. In July, police in East Kalimantan arrested a 20-year-old man accused of blackmailing a 15-year-old Swedish girl he met on Roblox, demanding $500 in exchange for not releasing explicit images.

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

Arina concluded that three principles --digital safety, productivity, and literacy-- should guide Roblox use among children, stressing the need for a multi-sector effort to align educational gaming with existing regulations.