Popular communication platform Discord banned in Russia and Turkey

Discord, originally designed for gamers and esports enthusiasts, has become a widely used tool, not only for everyday communication but also by its military for coordination in countries like Russia.

However, this may no longer be the case, as both Russia and Turkey have recently banned the platform.

The country's internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, accused Discord of hosting extremist content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), leading to the restriction.

Discords ban follows a $36,000 by the regulators in September, for failing to remove “forbidden” content—a penalty that Russian authorities claim the company ignored.

This decision is especially striking considering how integral Discord has been for Russian military efforts in Ukraine. According to the WSJ, the platform has been instrumental in helping Russian forces coordinate operations along the Ukrainian front lines, including carrying out drone missions.

The same features that helped teams collaborate in virtual battlefields have become essential for military coordination in actual conflict zones.

Now, with Discord banned, there is concern that the military's coordination efforts could be hindered, at least in the short term.

This ban is not an isolated case but part of a larger trend. Turkey also banned Discord after a court decision, accusing the platform of failing to cooperate with local authorities. The move followed public outrage over a murder in Istanbul, where content on Discord reportedly praised the violence. Turkish regulators alleged the platform had been used for child abuse, blackmail, and online harassment.

Both Russia and Turkey have a history of restricting access to social media platforms, often citing "security concerns."

In August, Turkey also blocked Roblox, citing worries about content that could exploit children. Meanwhile, Russia has banned Western platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Signal. Recently, YouTube was also heavily throttled, further limiting the communication options for Russian users and the military.

With up to 40 million users in Russia, Discord’s ban widens the digital void, with the potential to disrupt not only everyday communication but also military operations—a rare example of a gaming tool caught in the centre of geopolitical tensions.