The Israeli branch of the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) warned during a Monday Knesset meeting that the popular game Roblox is making children more violent.
The meeting took place with the Knesset’s Special Committee for the Rights of the Child, chaired by MK Keti Shitrit (Likud).
According to the organization, the game teaches children “how to steal characters, cheat, lie, and even extort other children in the virtual world,” and has led to cases of “pedophilia and trafficking” that later spill over into real-life interactions at schools.
Representatives from the organization asked the Knesset, “Who is responsible for our children? Children play this game at school in computer rooms and libraries, as well as in community centers. Who takes responsibility and supervises them?”
“We cannot stop technological progress, but there must be enforcement,” they argued.
Children 'can't manage to get out of the app'
Roblox Corporation describes the game as “the ultimate virtual universe that lets you create, share experiences with friends, and be anything you can imagine,” according to the company’s website.
The game was launched in 2006 and has since garnered 79.5 million daily active users.
“The children believe its a safe space, but they can’t manage to get out of the app,” OMEP Israel representatives said, arguing that most parents have no idea what their children are doing on the platform.
They also noted that on Sunday night, there was a major event in the game that lasted into the night, with over 6,000 children participating regardless of having school the next day. “The consequences are significant. The children are more tired, more irritable, and it also affects the lessons themselves,” they warned.