Türkiye restores access to Instagram after 9 days of blocking

Istanbul. Turkey said on Saturday it had restored access to social media platform Instagram after the company agreed to cooperate with authorities to address government concerns.

Turkey blocked access to the social network on August 2 for violating the country’s “laws and regulations” and public sensitivities.

A senior Turkish official has accused Instagram of blocking messages of condolence over the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Turkey has denounced Israel’s attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire and criticised what it calls unconditional Western support for Israel.

The nine-day ban sparked protests from users and small businesses that reach customers through the platform.

Turkey ranks fifth in the world in terms of Instagram usage, with more than 57 million users, after India, the United States, Brazil and Indonesia, according to data platform Statista.

“As a result of our negotiations with Instagram officials, we will lift the access block… after they promised to work together to meet our demands on cataloguing crimes and on the censorship imposed on users,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said in a post on X.

Crimes under Turkish law include acts such as murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, ill-treatment and torture.

“Significant progress has been made in increasing security in the digital environment in Turkey, legal compliance, protecting users’ rights and developing a fair inspection mechanism,” Uraloglu said.

Instagram’s parent company Meta had agreed to comply with Turkish law and ensure effective removal of posts and content if they included elements of certain crimes or “terrorist propaganda,” Uraloglu said.

Instagram was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters.

“Live metrics show that Instagram is being reinstated on major internet providers in Turkey following a nationwide ban that lasted nine days. This is the longest ban on a major social media platform in recent years,” said NetBlocks, an internet monitor.