Paradox Issues Statement on Discord Ban Incident: "We Will Make the Necessary Changes"
Paradox Interactive has broken its silence after a Turkish user was banned on its Discord server for using an image of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as a profile picture. Hearts of Iron IV Game Director Batya acknowledged that the rule regarding the use of real people as profile pictures was not applied consistently and announced that the rule and the bans issued will be reviewed again.
Paradox Interactive, the developer behind the Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis series, has broken its silence after a Turkish user was banned on its Discord server for using an image of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as a profile picture. According to the company's statement, Hearts of Iron IV Game Director Batya published a statement on the forum regarding the matter, acknowledging that the rule concerning the use of real people as profile pictures was not applied consistently.
In his statement, Batya noted that the rule in question, the actions taken, and the bans issued during this process will be reviewed again and the necessary changes will be made.
According to Paradox's statement, following the incident, the company received a large amount of feedback regarding Discord rules and moderation practices concerning the use of historical figures as profile pictures. This feedback and the subsequent discussions revealed that there were concerns about whether the rules were being applied equally and fairly.
"We Understand What Atatürk Means"
In his statement, Game Director Batya expressed that they are aware of what Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as the founder of the Republic of Turkey and the father of the nation, means to many people.
Batya also stated that the company's games or mods do not aim to violate the personality rights of any historical figure or to make commentary or judgment, and that this does not constitute an exception.
According to Paradox's statement, the company will share an update with the community soon regarding the Discord rules and the next steps to be taken.
