‘Significant increase’ in online searches for VPNs in the country following the ban, said a research analyst.
Turkey blocked its citizens from accessing Instagram citing non-compliance with regulations, a decision taken after the app removed Turkish posts expressing condolences for the death of a Hamas leader.
“When the parties who do not comply with our laws, our sensitivities, and these mentioned deficiencies comply, we will take the necessary action and lift this access ban.”
Yeni Safak newspaper, which is close to the government, along with other media outlets, said access was blocked in response to Instagram removing posts by Turkish users that expressed condolences over the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
“Sanctions for Instagram’s blackout policy were swift,” Yeni Safak stated in its online edition.
Earlier, Fahrettin Altun, the presidential communications director and aide to Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had strongly criticized the Meta-owned platform for preventing users in Turkey from posting messages of condolence for Haniyeh.
Instagram has more than 50 million users in Turkey, a nation with a population of 85 million. The Epoch Times reached out to the parent company Meta for comment.
Restricting Free Speech
Following the Instagram ban, Omer Fatih Sayan, the Turkish Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, accused social media platforms of being biased in favor of Western nations when it comes to “quickly” taking measures on issues, according to an X post.
“We demand the same sensitivity and fair stance from the beginning,” he wrote. “We want the safe, clean, and fair content mechanism that these platforms offer in countries where they comply with their rules to be valid in Turkey as well.”
He claimed this “double standard” from social media platforms is a common thing worldwide.
“As the Mayor of Istanbul, I strongly believe that communication bans do not benefit any society. Limiting access to social media platforms stifles free expression and hinders the flow of information,” he said in an Aug. 2 X post.
“I urge the authorities to reconsider this decision and lift the ban. Let’s work together for a more open and connected society.”
“Internet freedom in Turkey has steadily declined over the past decade. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have enacted several laws that increase censorship and criminalize online speech,” Freedom House states.
For instance, Turkish authorities removed online content and issued criminal penalties against certain internet users ahead of the general elections in May last year, it said.
Earlier in 2022, Turkey introduced a Disinformation Law that criminalizes online speech while restricting privacy, the group noted.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.