Turkey’s transport minister said bans on popular instant messaging app Discord and gaming platform Roblox could be lifted if the platforms remove illegal content and meet court-mandated requirements, NTV reported..
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced ongoing discussions between the Turkish government and representatives of the platforms. He stated that if Roblox and Discord comply with the removal of objectionable content flagged by authorities, access could be restored through a court ruling.
The popular platforms were blocked earlier this year following concerns over child safety and criminal activity. Roblox, widely used by children, was restricted under a decision by Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority, citing judicial orders. Discord faced a ban after being linked to discussions by a violent online group tied to a high-profile murder case. Authorities reported discovering several criminal elements during an investigation into the platform’s activities.
Minister Uraloğlu noted that previously the companies did not engage with Turkish authorities regarding the removal of problematic content. “They didn’t respond to us before,” he said. “Now they ask us what they need to remove to meet our demands.”
The minister emphasized that court decisions must be fully implemented for the bans to be lifted, with officials monitoring compliance. Discussions with both platforms remain ongoing.
Blocking access to websites and popular social media platforms is frequent in Turkey, where X, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram have suffered similar temporary bans in recent times.