Turkey prohibits access to Instagram following controversy over ‘censorship’ | Social Media Update

Turkish authorities have blocked access to Instagram following criticism from a top government official for censoring condolence posts on the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The move was announced by the national communications authority without providing a reason for the ban. Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency’s communications director, accused the Meta-owned platform of censorship, stating that Instagram had not cited any policy violations for blocking the content. Altun vowed to defend freedom of expression and stand by Palestinian brothers against such platforms. The assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran, which Hamas and Iran blamed on Israel, has strained tensions. With over 50 million users in Turkey, the ban led to outrage on social media, with users unable to access their feeds. Turkish digital law expert Yaman Akdeniz criticized the censorship as arbitrary and unjustifiable. The issue sparked mockery and memes on other social media networks, with users joking about the impact of Instagram being blocked. Meta Platforms Inc has not yet commented on the ban or the government official’s remarks. The situation underscores the ongoing battle between governments and social media platforms over censorship and freedom of expression.

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