(Bloomberg) -- Russia’s move to ban Discord, an instant messaging platform popular among gamers and programmers, sparked a backlash from military bloggers who say it’s used by drone operators at the front in the war on Ukraine.
The uproar came after Russia’s internet regulator on Tuesday added the application to a growing list of social media services that are restricted, citing concerns it was used to recruit people to carry out terror attacks and sell drugs.
The Telegram channel Fighterbomber, which is dedicated to military aviation and has more than 530,000 subscribers, called it a “stab in the back.” Russian officials are far from “reality, the people and, unfortunately, the army,” the blog said on Wednesday.
The ban on Discord means that some command centers may be left without drone broadcasts, according to the Rybar channel, which has connections to the army and more than 1.3 million subscribers. “The Defense Ministry isn’t seeking to provide the troops with any alternative,” it said.
Military bloggers have become an influential force in Russian media since the start of the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Earlier this year, an uproar on Telegram forced the parliament to roll back a bill that would have banned soldiers and officers from wearing gadgets with internet access on the front lines.
Discord, which says it has more than 200 million monthly active users, is facing increasing scrutiny around the world as regulators seek more control over digital platforms. Turkey also banned the application this week over concerns about its use by groups involved in child abuse.
Other social media platforms including YouTube, Facebook, X and Instagram have already been blocked by Russian authorities since the war began.
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