Turkey announced on Saturday that it has restored access to the social media platform Instagram after the company agreed to collaborate with Turkish authorities to address the government’s concerns. This development comes after Instagram had been blocked in Turkey on August 2 for failing to comply with the country’s laws, regulations, and public sensitivities.
The ban was implemented following accusations from a top Turkish official that Instagram had blocked condolence posts related to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian group Hamas. The Turkish government had strongly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and criticizing what it perceives as unconditional support for Israel by Western nations.
The nine-day ban on Instagram, which triggered protests from users and small businesses that rely on the platform to reach customers, marked the longest national restriction on a major social media platform in Turkey in recent years. Turkey ranks fifth globally in terms of Instagram usage, with more than 57 million users, according to data from Statista.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced on X that the access block was lifted following successful negotiations with Instagram officials. The company committed to collaborating on addressing issues related to “catalogue crimes” and censorship concerns. Catalogue crimes under Turkish law include severe offenses such as murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, abuse, and torture.
Uraloglu stated that these negotiations have led to significant improvements in digital security, legal compliance, user rights protection, and the development of a fair inspection mechanism in Turkey. Instagram’s parent company, Meta, has agreed to comply with Turkish law and ensure the efficient removal of posts and content that include elements of certain crimes or “terrorism propaganda.”
As of the announcement, live metrics indicated that Instagram was being gradually restored across Turkey’s major internet providers.
This information was reported by PressTonight.
