Turkey has blocked access to the Discord messaging platform, citing child safety concerns.

On October 9, 2024, Turkey’s Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunc announced that a court in Ankara had ordered the ban on the widely used platform, which is popular among gamers and has around 150 million users globally. The decision was made by Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) following allegations that Discord had been misused for “child sexual abuse and obscenity”.

“We are determined to protect our youth and our children from harmful and criminal publications on social media and the internet,” Minister Tunc stated on X, formerly known as Twitter. He emphasized the government’s commitment to safeguarding children from damaging content online.

The ban comes in the wake of heightened public concern after a double homicide involving two 19-year-old women in Istanbul. Reports indicated that some users on Discord had shared messages praising the violent act, while others were accused of targeting underage girls for harassment.

This action follows a similar recent ban by Russia, which restricted access to Discord to prevent its use for terrorist and extremist activities. In August, Turkey had also blocked access to the gaming platform Roblox over child safety concerns.

Minister Tunc’s remarks reflect ongoing efforts by Turkish authorities to regulate online platforms amid rising concerns about child safety. “We will never allow attempts to shake the foundations of our social structure,” he added.

The ban has sparked discussions about the effectiveness of such measures, with some arguing that outright bans may be an overreach while others support stronger regulations to protect minors online.

Sources:
[1] https://www.barrons.com/news/turkey-blocks-access-to-discord-messaging-platform-7cb80fe1
[2] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/turkey-blocks-access-to-discord-messaging-platform/articleshow/114075897.cms
[3] https://www.turkishminute.com/2024/10/09/access-to-discord-banned-in-turkey-over-child-safety-concerns/
[4] https://www.reuters.com/technology/turkey-blocks-instant-messaging-platform-discord-2024-10-09/
[5] https://balkaninsight.com/2024/10/09/turkey-blocks-access-to-discord-online-platform-citing-child-safety-concerns/
[6] https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/10/09/turkey-blocks-access-to-discord-over-child-safety-concerns/
[7] https://bianet.org/haber/turkey-blocks-discord-after-revelations-of-incel-cyberbullying-child-exploitation-300552
[8] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-09/turkey-blocks-access-to-discord-over-child-safety-concerns?cmpId=google