Turkish authorities imposed access restrictions on social media platform Discord on Wednesday following non-compliance with orders to remove content deemed illegal. The decision was also made in line with the court's decision after the platform refused to share the information demanded by the court.
The move comes as Turkiye grapples with growing concerns over the safety of social media platforms, particularly after receiving reports of incidents involving a group of Discord users suspected of blackmailing and cyberbullying children and teenagers. Several sources reported viral videos and messages showing minors being blackmailed into giving money, or engaging in self-harm.
The restrictions were also prompted by an incident that caused public outrage in Turkiye regarding the recent killing of two women by a 19-year-old man in Istanbul. There was content on social media that showed Discord users praising the killing, sparking outrage and leading to calls for tighter regulation of the platform.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the Discord platform has made it difficult for authorities to monitor when illegal or criminal content is shared. Since Discord refused to share the requested information including IP address and content, with Turkiye's security unit, it was forced to block access. The move also came a day after Russia also banned the platform.