Instagram Restored in Turkey Following 9-Day Block Amid Content Dispute

Turkey has ended a 9-day block on Instagram after the social media platform agreed to meet the government's demands for content regulation, according to officials on Saturday.

Turkey Blocked Instagram on August 2

Following Instagram's agreement to collaborate with authorities to address the government's concerns, Turkey said on Saturday that it had restored access to the social media network.

The social networking site was shut on August 2 by Turkey because it did not adhere to the country's "laws and rules" and was considered sensitive to public opinion.

A high-ranking Turkish source said that Instagram had removed condolence tributes in response to the murder of Palestinian militant group Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

An immediate cessation of hostilities is demanded by Turkey, which has condemned Israel's assaults on Gaza and criticized what it perceives as the West's unwavering backing of Israel.

CNA shares that users and small businesses that rely on the site to contact their clients were outraged by the nine-day restriction.

Turkey Has Over 57 Million Instagram Users

According to Statista, Turkey has over 57 million Instagram users, putting it sixth in the world after India, the US, Brazil, and Indonesia.

"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 regarding catalog crimes and on censorship imposed on users," posted Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, on X.

Murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, maltreatment, and torture are all considered cataloged crimes in Turkey.

"Significant gains have been achieved in increasing security in the digital environment in Turkey, legal compliance, protection of user rights and the development of a fair inspection mechanism," stated Uraloglu.

Meta Agrees to Comply with Turkish Laws

According to Uraloglu, Instagram's parent company, Meta, has committed to cleaning up its content and complying with Turkish legislation by removing any references to "terrorism propaganda" or specific criminal offenses.

Reuters was unable to reach Instagram for comment at this time.

"Live metrics show Instagram is being restored across Turkey's main internet providers after national restriction spanning nine days. This is the country's longest ban of a major social media platform in recent years," according to NetBlocks, an internet monitor.