urkey has blocked access to Instagram, the popular social media platform, without providing a reason or duration for the ban. The move was announced by the country’s infotech regulator, the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK), on August 2.
The reason behind the ban is unclear, but it comes after Turkish communications official Fahrettin Altun criticized Instagram for blocking condolence posts on the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, a key official of Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“This is censorship, pure and simple,” Altun said, adding that Instagram had not cited any policy violations for its action.
There has been no comment from Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc on the ban or Altun’s comments.
Turkey has previously restricted access to social media platforms, including Twitter and YouTube, over content deemed sensitive or critical of the government.
The move raises concerns about censorship and freedom of expression in Turkey, and its implications for global social media users.
