Turkey Restores Instagram Access

Turkey lifted a nine-day nationwide ban on Instagram after Meta, the platform’s parent company, agreed to address government concerns over content moderation and policy violations.

Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority initially blocked Instagram without an official reason. However, officials later explained that it was due to the platform's non-compliance with local laws.

The ban, which disrupted millions of users and businesses, was lifted after Turkey's transportation and infrastructure minister, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, confirmed that Meta had assured Turkish authorities of stricter content oversight, particularly regarding criminal activities and accounts linked to terrorist organizations.

Uraloğlu also stated that Meta promised to collaborate on censoring content that violates Turkish law. This includes content related to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the Syrian Kurdish PYD, and the Fethullah Gülen Movement (FETO). Turkey considers the aforementioned to be terrorist organizations.

This assurance came after complaints that Instagram had blocked posts expressing condolences over the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of Hamas, which triggered the platform's suspension.

The Turkey population regained access to Instagram on August 10th, with Meta emphasizing its commitment to removing content violating its policies on Dangerous Organizations & Individuals. A Meta spokesperson stated that the company had not altered its policies but had agreed to review and ensure the accuracy of its actions concerning policy-violating content in Turkey.

Turkey ranks fifth globally in Instagram usage, with over 57 million users. In addition, social media platforms, primarily Instagram, play a critical role in the country’s e-commerce, generating approximately 930 million Turkish lira (€25 million) daily. The ban led to protests from users and small businesses that rely on the platform for reaching customers.

In light of these developments, Meta and Turkish authorities continue to discuss how to manage content on the platform to avoid future conflicts and ensure compliance with local laws.

Turkey has banned several popular platforms in the past, including Wikipedia and YouTube, as part of efforts to enforce its strict internet regulations. Despite these bans, many users in the country still access these platforms through alternative means, such as through VPNs.