- Turkey on Friday blocked access to the social media platform Instagram, according to the national communications authority, without providing any explanation.
- This comes after a senior Turkish official accused that the platform censored condolence posts for a Hamas official.
OUR TAKE
The Instagram ban in Turkey highlights ongoing concerns over internet censorship and freedom of expression. With millions affected, this move could escalate international scrutiny of Turkey’s restrictive policies and impact social discourse within the country. The lack of clarity around the reasons for the ban and its indefinite nature exacerbates these concerns.
–Vicky Wu, BTW reporter
What happened
Turkey has blocked access to the social media platform Instagram, according to the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK). The decision was made on August 2, without providing a reason or duration for the ban. The move follows criticism from Fahrettin Altun, the communications director of the Turkish presidency, who accused Instagram of blocking condolence posts for Ismail Haniyeh, a key official of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, killed in an attack blamed on Israel.
Altun described the action as “censorship, pure and simple,” and noted that Instagram did not cite any policy violations. Many Turkish users reported issues accessing the platform, with complaints surfacing on the X platform about the inability to refresh their feeds. Instagram parent company Meta Platforms did not immediately comment on the ban or Altun’s remarks.
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Why it’s important
The blocking of Instagram in Turkey is significant because it affects more than 50 million users in a country with a population of 85 million. The move has sparked reactions on other social media platforms, with many users expressing their frustration and disappointment. This is not the first instance of social media restrictions in Turkey; Wikipedia was previously blocked for nearly three years, and Meta’s Threads social network was suspended in April following a decision by Turkish authorities.
The incident underscores concerns about internet freedom and censorship in Turkey, where the government has faced criticism for limiting civil liberties and controlling online content. The blockage of Instagram, a widely used platform, is likely to draw international attention and further scrutiny of Turkey’s approach to internet regulation.
