Minister signals reopening of Discord, Roblox

ANKARA

Currently banned in Türkiye, both Discord and Roblox could see the restrictions lifted if the platforms implement corrective actions, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has announced.

“We believe that if a platform has beneficial material, we can keep using it provided they [authorities] eliminate its negative effects,” Uraloğlu told private broadcaster CNN Türk.

He noted that after court-imposed penalties on Roblox, which initially had no representation in Türkiye, officials from the platform reached out to Turkish authorities.

Uraloğlu stated that in response to some of Türkiye’s demands, officials from both platforms rejected the requests, citing the laws of the countries where they were founded. “Such platforms are subject to penalties in various parts of the world,” he argued.

On a positive note, the minister mentioned that ongoing talks with authorities are aimed at finding a middle ground. "If we reach an agreement, they could be reopened as a result of a legal process.”

The minister also touched upon the ongoing process of regulating social media use among children. “Children will not be permitted to create social media profiles. This is allowed with parental consent in some nations. This is not what we desire. People under the age of 16 should not use social media.”

Türkiye imposed a ban on Discord on Oct. 9 last year over child abuse concerns as the platform refused to share certain IP addresses with Turkish authorities. The move by Türkiye’s communications authority came after a ruling by a court in the capital Ankara amid suspicion the platform had been used for "the sexual abuse of children and obscenity.”

Similarly, on Aug. 7, Roblox was also prohibited due to content that could potentially lead to child abuse.