Instagram Ban Lifted in Turkey After Nine Days

Turkey reinstated access to Instagram on Saturday after reaching an agreement with the platform’s officials. The social media site had been blocked since early August 2nd due to its failure to adhere to local laws and public sensitivities. The blockage occurred after accusations from a senior Turkish official that Instagram was blocking posts expressing condolences for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Hamas.

Turkey has openly criticized the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire, and voiced concerns over the West’s unwavering support for Israel. The nine-day interruption had sparked considerable outcry from users and small businesses in Turkey that use Instagram as a vital communication tool.

Turkey is one of the top users of Instagram globally, with over 57 million users, ranking just behind India, the United States, Brazil, and Indonesia. According to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, the decision to lift the ban came after Instagram agreed to cooperate with Turkish authorities to address issues related to what Turkish law classifies as ‘catalogue crimes’ and alleged censorship. These crimes include serious offenses such as murder, sexual assault, and drug trafficking.

Uraloglu highlighted the progress made in enhancing digital security and legal compliance in Turkey, as well as protecting user rights and establishing a fair inspection mechanism. He noted that Instagram’s parent company, Meta, had agreed to comply with Turkish laws, particularly in removing content that involves specific crimes or propagates “terrorism propaganda.”

The restoration of Instagram services across Turkey’s main internet providers ended the country’s longest recent suspension of a major social media platform, as reported by the internet monitoring organization NetBlocks. Instagram has yet to respond publicly to the developments.