Turkey Blocks Discord

After access to Instagram, Twitch, KICK, OnlyFans, and Roblox was restricted—though many were later reinstated—Turkey also blocked access to Discord today.

Twitch has over 5 million monthly active users (MAU) in Turkey, and it’s likely that a large portion of these users are also active on Discord, as it’s common for viewers to join streamers’ Discord servers to engage more deeply.

A New Day, A New Ban

Yes, it’s another eventful day in the world of digital platforms in Turkey!

According to BTK’s latest statement, a court ruling in Ankara has blocked access to the popular messaging platform Discord. The reason? Allegations that criminals were using it for malicious purposes…

But here’s the thing: Discord is not just a chat app. It’s a platform that helps young people explore the tech world, and it’s heavily utilized for business, education, and even community events. In other words, it’s a tool that facilitates knowledge sharing and social interaction across various aspects of life. This type of ban, unfortunately, impacts the work, education, and connections of millions.

Is Blocking the Only Solution?

So, what’s the plan? “There’s criminal activity, let’s shut down the whole platform!” It’s like saying, “If a drop of water is dirty, let’s drain the entire river.” Does that sound reasonable? Instead of identifying and targeting real criminals, we’re punishing everyone…

If a platform is shut down, will criminals just move elsewhere?

Yes, probably to Telegram. And if that gets blocked, they’ll move to yet another platform. In this cat-and-mouse game, no one is really winning. The criminals stay one step ahead, while regular people—students, workers, and friends who rely on Discord for education, work, and communication—are left isolated.

However, on the same day that Turkey blocked access to Discord, Russia also blocked access to the platform, claiming the network had failed to comply with Russian laws against recruiting “terrorists and extremists”, TASS news agency reported.

Kinda similar to China. Authorities have concerns about the platform’s potential to push uncensored communication and the sharing of information on there that could challenge government narratives.

What About Us?

Many communities have been using Discord actively. Now they’ll scramble to shift to platforms like Slack or others. This means updating every single member, re-sending automation emails, and teaching everyone how to navigate the new platform. Instead of focusing on more productive tasks, they’ll have to spend time dealing with the fallout of these “here today, gone tomorrow” bans.

The irony is that “Today we ban Discord, tomorrow it’ll be another platform”. Blocking access doesn’t prevent people from connecting—it just pushes them to less secure, harder-to-monitor places. And that’s a vicious cycle.

The Solution?

The real solution lies in smart approaches and effective measures. Instead of penalizing everyone, let’s use technology to pinpoint and stop criminals directly. For example, collaborating with Discord to address concerns while ensuring that communities can thrive in a healthy environment…

In the end, yes, we should protect our youth. But we should also be careful not to disconnect them from the world around them.

However, on the same day that Turkey blocked access to Discord, Russia also blocked access to the platform, claiming the network had failed to comply with Russian laws against recruiting “terrorists and extremists”.

Kinda similar to China. Authorities have concerns about the platform’s potential to push uncensored communication and the sharing of information on there that could challenge government narratives.

Impact on the Gaming Industry 🎮

It hits.

For gamers, Discord is not just a place to chat—it’s a hub for strategy discussions, team collaborations, and even professional networking. Game Developers use it to share their latest projects, indie creators run communities there, and gaming enthusiasts rely on it to connect with their favorite titles.

Shutting down such a platform means crippling the communication backbone of the mobile gaming scene, making it harder for new talent to connect, for teams to coordinate, and for the industry to grow. In a rapidly evolving field like mobile gaming, these restrictions are more than just an inconvenience—they’re a barrier to progress.

Discord’s MAU in Turkey is around 3-5 million, which would account for about 1-2% of its global 250 million MAU.

Maybe Discord will appoint a representative in Turkey and the restriction will be lifted within two weeks. Let’s wait and see. 👀