Turkey bans Discord after revelations of ‘incel’ cyberbullying, child exploitation

Turkey has blocked access to Discord following revelations of widespread cyberbullying by incel (involuntary celibate) groups, some of which praised recent femicides, according to a decision announced on the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) website.

The ban was ordered by Ankara’s 1st Penal Court of Peace today at the request of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, citing concerns over content involving “child exploitation and obscenity.”

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said on social media that the ban was implemented due to sufficient suspicion of these offenses. He emphasized the government’s commitment to safeguarding youth from harmful content online, adding, “We will never allow attempts to shake the foundation of our social structure.”

The ‘incel’ groups

The ban follows a series of incidents in which members of the so-called incel groups on Discord praised two recent femicides, sparking public outrage. The femicides occurred on Oct 4, when a 19-year-old man named Semih Çelik killed two women of the same age, reportedly his ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend, before taking his own life. One of the women was mutilated.

Shortly after the murders, members of several incel groups on Discord, organizing under tags like “C7K,” “C31K,” and “901,” posted messages celebrating the killings. These groups have been linked to other forms of disturbing behavior, including torturing and killing animals and coercing girls into creating explicit content through threats and blackmail.

In January, a police operation resulted in the detention of five minors affiliated with the “C31K” group, but they were eventually released and the investigation did not expand.

Following the Oct 4 murders, several individuals involved in these groups were exposed on social media, with many appearing to be teenagers. Some were seen admitting to their actions in videos and messages that circulated online. With this recent public exposure, authorities have renewed their efforts, detaining several minors.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on social media that Ankara police had detained a Discord user identified as E.K., a child involved in the “C31K” group under the alias “Hz. Ebu Cehil.” E.K. was apprehended in the Zile district. Another child, A.T., known online as “Arda Bateman,” was detained in İstanbul.

In a separate statement, Yerlikaya said that two more minors, B.T. and A.D.C., were taken into custody by İzmir’s cybercrime division for their involvement in producing and sharing offensive content on both Discord and Telegram. The detained individuals are under investigation, with their statements being taken in the presence of psychologists. (VK)