According to a report by The Washington Post, Russia has decided to ban the use of Discord, a popular chat platform, following similar measures applied to other networks like Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter), which were restricted in the country after the start of the war with Ukraine.

The ban on Discord is particularly problematic for the Russian military, as the platform was used by its armed forces to coordinate communications. Currently, Russia lacks its own infrastructure to efficiently support secure messaging, making Discord an indispensable tool in this context.

Russia’s internet regulator justified the ban by claiming that Discord contained material promoting extremism, including content related to child sexual abuse (CSAM). Such accusations are often used in cases where governments seek tighter control over communication platforms that do not comply with state-imposed regulations.

In addition to Russia, Turkey has also blocked access to Discord, citing the company’s refusal to share user data with government authorities, a requirement that other services have faced in both countries.

Discord responded to the situation on its website, stating: “We are aware of reports indicating that Discord is unavailable in Russia and Turkey. Our team is investigating these reports at this time.”

In recent years, Russia has intensified its control over communication platforms and social networks in an attempt to regulate the flow of information both inside and outside its borders. This strategy is part of a broader effort to maintain the government’s official narrative during times of conflict, limiting access to external sources of information and platforms that allow unmonitored communication.

By: Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director

Image credit: Flickr / CC BY 2.0 / Attribution 2.0 Generic