Turkey imposed an access ban on the popular messaging platform Discord. The move followed a decision by the Ankara 1st Magistrate Court, which cited the platform’s involvement in spreading harmful content, including child exploitation, cyberbullying, and obscene material. The Ministry of Justice had launched investigations after several criminal activities, such as blackmail and sexual abuse, were linked to Discord. Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç affirmed that Turkey would not tolerate platforms that facilitate the exploitation of minors and other deviant activities. Tunç also emphasized the importance of protecting the country’s youth from harmful online publications.
The ban followed growing concerns about platforms like Discord and Telegram being used for criminal purposes. In particular, disturbing content about violence, extremism, and other illegal activities was discovered within certain Discord communities. The court’s decision to block Discord is part of broader measures to regulate social media platforms that fail to comply with Turkish judicial orders.
Turkey’s decision aligns with similar actions taken by other countries, including Russia, which blocked Discord for violating national laws regarding illegal content. Russia’s communications regulator, RKN, had ordered the removal of over 900 pieces of illegal material, and Discord faced fines for non-compliance. Both countries are pushing for stricter control over online platforms to ensure they comply with local regulations regarding harmful content.
