Türkiye may reopen Roblox, Discord, minister says
Discord social network logo on a smartphone photo. (Adobe Stock Photo)
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced that the gaming platform Roblox and the messaging platform Discord may soon be reopened in Türkiye.
Speaking on CNN Turk live broadcast, Uraloglu said discussions are ongoing, with both platforms having engaged with Turkish authorities following legal sanctions.
“The gaming platform (Roblox) did not have a representative in Türkiye, but they contacted us after the court rulings. If a platform offers beneficial content, we believe they should remove the harmful content so we can move forward,” Uraloglu said.
He further noted that a negotiation process is in progress. “If we reach an agreement, their reopening could follow after the legal process,” he added.
Sanctions and social media penalties
Addressing the issue of penalties and sanctions on social media platforms, Uraloglu emphasized enforcement challenges.
“How much can we sanction and enforce compliance on these platforms? We have shortcomings. Some companies, due to the laws in their countries, respond by saying, ‘we will not comply.’ Many countries are imposing fines on these platforms, and we plan to implement similar measures soon,” he said.
What had happened?
Roblox, the popular online gaming platform, was banned in Türkiye in August 2024. A Communications Directorate official said the ban followed reports of inappropriate sexual content perceived as child exploitation on the platform. Allegations included virtual parties promoting pedophilia and concerns over the platform’s virtual currency, “robux,” being distributed by bot accounts to lure children. Additionally, gambling sites were cited as a factor behind the ban.
In October 2024, Discord faced similar access restrictions after allegations on social media claimed girls were being blackmailed, bullied, and sexually abused on the platform. Following ongoing discussions about Discord’s role in online harassment of minors, Türkiye imposed access restrictions on the messaging platform.
