Instagram users in Türkiye suddenly lost access to the platform on August 2, with no official explanation provided at the time. The restoration of access comes after Instagram agreed to address Türkiye's concerns, particularly around content related to catalog crimes, including murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, and torture, as well as censorship issues raised by Turkish officials.
Fahrettin Altun, Türkiye’s head of communications, was among the first to post on Instagram after the platform became accessible again. In his post, he expressed condolences for Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader who was recently killed. Altun’s message stated, "On the 10th day of his martyrdom, I remember the martyr Ismail Haniyeh with mercy and gratitude. Our struggle will continue under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan until Palestine is free and those who commit genocide against humanity are held accountable."
The block on Instagram was reportedly related to accusations from Altun that the platform had censored posts expressing condolences for Haniyeh.
Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu cited concerns over content related to serious crimes and the censorship imposed on Instagram users as reasons for the initial block. NetBlocks, a group that monitors internet disruptions, confirmed on Saturday that access to Instagram in Türkiye had started to return.
The agreement between Instagram and Turkish authorities highlights the ongoing tension between social media platforms and governments over content regulation and censorship. (ILKHA)