Chat and dating apps blocked in Turkey

Controls on digital communication and socialization platforms are tightening in Turkey. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has blocked access to 29 video chat and dating platforms, including popular apps like Azar, LiVU, and Tango, which have millions of users worldwide.

Access Blocked to Chat and Dating Apps

According to Engelli Web, the decisions signed by BTK President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu on August 20 were approved by the Ankara 3rd and 4th Criminal Courts of Peace on August 20 and 22, respectively, completing the legal process. With this approval, access to the apps from Turkey has officially been suspended.

The access blocking decision covers not only niche platforms but also globally recognized giants. In addition to Azar, LiVU, and Tango, which boast millions of users, numerous apps operating under different names, such as Camsurf, CoMeet, Tantan, Chamet, SweetMeet, and Flirtfy, have been added to the banned list. This situation significantly restricts users’ access to alternative dating and chat platforms in Turkey.

This isn’t the first time the BTK has intervened against similar platforms. Previously, a different domain name for Tango was blocked on December 11, 2024, and the popular virtual world platform IMVU was blocked by court orders on November 2, 2024. These recent decisions demonstrate that the regulation in this area is an ongoing policy that continues to expand.

Some of the platforms blocked include: