Russian State Duma Calls on Roskomnadzor to Reconsider Discord Ban

The Russian State Duma has called on Roskomnadzor (RKN) to reconsider its decision to block the Discord service in Russia, citing the platform’s important role for a large number of users, especially students and educators.

According to Mediascope, the number of Discord users in Russia ranges from 25 to 40 million. Deputy Speaker of the State Duma, Vladislav Davankov, noted that the service is widely used for educational purposes, including online schools and tutoring. He also emphasized that alternative Russian services, such as Yandex.Telemost or VK Messenger, cannot fully replace Discord’s functionality.

Davankov expressed concern that further blocking of foreign platforms could lead to a situation where almost no social networks or services remain accessible in Russia without a VPN. He also pointed out that, in such circumstances, device sellers might start pre-installing anonymizers on phones as a mandatory app before sale.

Davankov added that during meetings with students, 95% of them already admit to using VPNs to bypass restrictions. In light of this, he is preparing an official appeal to the leadership of Roskomnadzor, requesting a review of the decision to block Discord.

Roskomnadzor’s Official Statement and Reasons for the Ban

Roskomnadzor officially announced the blocking of the Discord messenger in Russia on October 8, 2024. The reason cited was numerous violations of Russian laws related to the distribution of illegal information. Specifically, the agency stated that materials distributed via the messenger could be used for terrorist and extremist purposes, as well as for recruiting citizens, selling drugs, and other illegal activities.

News of the impending Discord ban first emerged on September 27. In the week starting September 20, Roskomnadzor sent five new rulings to Discord regarding legal violations. Sources claimed that the messenger could be blocked “in the coming days.”