On Saturday, Turkish authorities announced the restoration of access to Instagram, following the platform’s agreement to collaborate with the government in addressing specific concerns.
The Turkish government imposed a block on Instagram beginning August 2, citing non-compliance with national regulations and public sensitivities regarding content.
A senior official in Turkey claimed that the platform had removed condolence messages related to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas.
Turkey has condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza, urged an immediate ceasefire, and criticized what it perceives as unwavering Western support for Israel.
The nine-day prohibition prompted backlash from users and small businesses reliant on the platform for customer engagement.
With over 57 million users, Turkey ranks fifth globally in Instagram usage, trailing behind India, the United States, Brazil, and Indonesia, according to Statista data.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced via a post on X that the access block would be lifted following negotiations with Instagram officials. He stated that the platform committed to addressing Turkey’s demands concerning catalog crimes and user censorship.
Catalog crimes, as defined by Turkish legislation, encompasses serious offenses such as murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, abuse, and torture.
Uraloglu highlighted that significant progress had been made in enhancing digital security, legal compliance, user rights protection, and the establishment of a robust oversight mechanism.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, agreed to adhere to Turkish law, ensuring the timely removal of posts that include elements of specific crimes or promote terrorism, according to Uraloglu.
When approached by Reuters, Instagram had not provided an immediate response.
Internet monitoring service NetBlocks reported that Instagram’s accessibility was being restored across Turkey’s primary internet service providers following the nine-day restriction, marking the longest ban on a major social media platform in the country in recent memory.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
