Russia blocks Discord as Türkiye discusses potential ban over bullying concerns

While the debate over whether to shut down Discord in Türkiye continues, Russia has officially blocked the messaging app. Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, announced the ban, citing violations of legal requirements.

Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported on the ban, but Discord has yet to respond to the decision.

For several years, Russia has mandated that foreign tech companies remove content it deems illegal, imposing fines for non-compliance.

Just last week, Roskomnadzor ordered Discord to delete nearly 1,000 items deemed illegal and has previously fined the company for not removing banned content.

Moscow has also blocked other platforms, including X, Facebook, and Instagram, since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Potential Discord ban in Türkiye

Meanwhile in Türkiye, discussions about potentially blocking Discord have arisen amid scrutiny following reports of minors facing bullying and blackmail on the platform.

Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, addressed these concerns, stating that there are currently no plans to block Discord.

However, he mentioned that they are considering implementing certain barriers to ensure compliance with necessary regulations. Uraloglu emphasized that the goal is not to restrict access but to ensure that appropriate measures are in place.