On 2 August 2024, Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) imposed a restriction on access to Instagram, making both the website and mobile app inaccessible to users in the country. The BTK confirmed the block, but did not specify how long the restriction would last. According to the BTK’s official website, the platform was blocked for failing to comply with regulations relating to “catalogue crimes”.
The move comes shortly after comments made on Wednesday by Turkish communications official Fahrettin Altun, who criticised Instagram for allegedly blocking condolence posts related to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a senior official of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Altun’s comments have fuelled speculation that the platform’s removal of content related to Haniyeh may have influenced the decision to block access in Turkey.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has not yet responded to the restriction or provided further details. The block has sparked debate, with concerns over freedom of expression and the wider implications of the move.
