Discord blocked in Russia for failing to meet content law requirements

Discord blocked in Russia for violating content laws, fined $36,150, and added to the social network register for non-compliance.

Key Takeaways

• Discord was blocked in Russia for failing to comply with content removal laws, resulting in a $36,150 fine.
• Discord is the latest in a series of foreign platforms restricted in Russia since the Ukraine invasion.

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Russia’s communications regulator has blocked instant messaging platform Discord for violating the country’s laws, the TASS news agency reported earlier today. The San Francisco-based company is the latest foreign tech platform to face restrictions in Russia.

According to the regulator, Roskomnadzor, Discord was added to the country’s register of social networks, requiring it to find and block unlawful content. Discord failed to comply with these regulations and was fined 3.5 million rubles ($36,150) for its failure.

“The access to the Discord is being restricted in connection of violation of requirements of Russian laws, compliance with which is required to prevent the use of the messenger for terrorist and extremist services, recruitment of citizens to commit them, for drug sales, and in connection with unlawful information posting,” TASS news informed.

Russia has been consistently pressuring foreign technology companies to remove content deemed illegal under its laws, imposing regular fines for non-compliance. Discord did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Moscow has blocked other platforms, such as Twitter (now rebranded as X), Facebook, and Instagram, following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

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