Turkey blocks Instagram amid censorship controversy

ANKARA: Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) blocked access to Instagram, sparking widespread reactions from the public.

The decision came in response to alleged censorship by the Meta-owned platform, which reportedly removed posts expressing condolences for Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, following his assassination in Tehran. The Turkish government did not provide an official explanation for the ban but announced it on the BTK’s website.

The action was taken shortly after Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency’s communications director, accused Instagram of “impeding people from publishing messages of condolence for the martyr Haniyeh,” calling it a blatant act of censorship. Haniyeh, a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was killed in an attack attributed to Israel, further heightening tensions.

The move has impacted over 50 million Instagram users in Turkey, who have taken to other social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration and mock the situation. Memes and satirical posts quickly trended, with users humorously lamenting the loss of their favorite photo-sharing app.

This incident is not isolated, as Turkey has a history of blocking social media platforms, including YouTube and Wikipedia, often under the pretext of national security or preventing the spread of misinformation. Critics argue that such measures stifle freedom of expression and are used to control public discourse.