Forbes StaffAfter a 9-day ban, Turkey restored access to the social media platform Instagram.
It was reported earlier that Turkey had to stop access to the social media platform Instagram. However, reports on Sunday suggested that Turkey lifted the ban and restored access to Instagram after a 9-day block after the social media platform from Meta agreed to cooperate with authorities to address the government’s concerns.
Turkey blocked Instagram access earlier and now has restored access.
On August 2, it was reported that Turkey blocked access to the social media platform Instagram for it failed to comply with the laws and rules of the country and public sensitivities. A top Turkish official also accused Instagram of blocking condolence posts over the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.
A nine-day ban on Instagram in Turkey.
The blocking of posts by Instagram led the officials to ban the social media platform for nine days in Turkey. Turkey had condemned the attacks of Israel on Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire while also criticizing the unconditional support by the West for Israel.
Protests in Turkey for the nine-day ban on Instagram.
The ban also triggered protests and backlash from users and small business owners who reached their customers through Instagram.
What did the Transport and Infrastructure Minister say about the ban lift?
Posting on X, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, the Transport and Infrastructure Minister, said, “As a result of our negotiations with Instagram officials, we will lift the access block…after they promised to work together to meet our demands regarding catalog crimes and on censorship imposed on users.” In Turkish law, catalog crimes include acts such as drug trafficking, murder, sexual assault, abuse, and torture. He said, “Significant gains have been achieved in increasing security in the digital environment in Turkey, legal compliance, protection of user rights, and the development of a fair inspection mechanism.”
Instagram by Meta has agreed to comply with Turkish law and has ensured that posts and content are removed if they carry elements of certain crimes or “terrorism propaganda,” said Uraloglu.
