Discord is one of the most widely used communication services globally. Gamers use it daily to interact with friends and share their interests within the community. However, it seems that millions of people will soon lose access to the platform.
According to recent reports, a country is preparing to ban the use of Discord within its territory. This move would affect between 30 and 40 million players in the region, dealing a significant blow to the platform.
The country in question is Russia, which has recently made significant moves and regulations regarding the video game and entertainment industries. According to the information, in the coming days, the country under the leadership of Vladimir Putin is likely to ban Discord.
Russia could ban Discord soon
The newspaper Kommersant (via PC Gamer) recently reported that Russia has Discord in its crosshairs. The communication platform, which has become the go-to service for gamers worldwide, is being targeted by authorities taking various measures that could eventually lead to a ban.
Reports indicate that Russia made its first moves on September 20th, when the Russian state media regulator issued at least 5 rulings related to Discord. These rulings could potentially be used to justify a nationwide ban of the service.
Sources familiar with the situation suggest that Russia may ban Discord for alleged violations of national legislation. However, there is no further information explaining what these violations might be. The ban could reportedly take effect in the coming days.
If confirmed, nearly 40 million Discord users would be affected, representing 4% of the platform's total user base. Reports indicate that Russian users have already faced issues accessing Discord in recent days, forcing them to use VPNs. Additionally, the country recently fined the platform for not restricting access to certain information that authorities deemed inappropriate.
Vasily Ovchinnikov, director of the Russian Organization for the Development of the Video Game Industry, expressed concern over this potential move, noting that many studios rely heavily on Discord for communication. Furthermore, Russia has not announced any plans to provide a similar national service.
“The problem is that for Russian developers, communication with the community, including the international one, and technical support are implemented through Discord,” commented Ovchinnikov.
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