Turkey has blocked access to Instagram, leaving millions of users unable to get on the app. A government minister stated that Meta, Instagram’s parent company, failed to comply with Turkey’s “laws and rules”. The ban followed accusations that Instagram removed condolence posts about the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Turkey is one of Instagram’s largest markets. The app is extremely popular in the country, with 91 percent of Turkish consumers using it, according to research company GWI. Over half of Turkish users rely on Instagram for news.
For now, these users cannot access the app. However, the government has indicated that service will be restored if Meta complies with its requests. “We warned Instagram about certain offences. We want some rules to be followed. We intervene when they disregard legal rules and public sensitivities,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu. He added, “Our sensitivities are clear, as soon as they correct those shortcomings, we will remove the ban. This is a country with laws and rules.”
Uraloglu did not specify what the shortcomings were. The restriction on Instagram was enforced following a court order on Friday, reported internet observatory NetBlocks.
Fahrettin Altun, a Turkish communications official, criticized Instagram on Wednesday for blocking condolence posts after Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran. “This is censorship, pure and simple,” said Altun, the communications director of the Turkish presidency, on X.
There has been no immediate comment from Meta Platforms Inc, Instagram’s parent company, on the ban or Altun’s comments.
Turkey’s Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) published the August 2 decision on its website. The situation remains unresolved, with Turkish users eagerly awaiting the restoration of Instagram.
