Turkey Restores Instagram After 9-Day Ban | Here's What Happened

Instagram was first blocked in the country on August 2 after it was revealed that Instagram failed to comply with the "laws and rules" and public sensitivities of Ankara.

The ban was heavily criticised by Turkish people who carried out protests. Users, small business owners and more people who reached their customers through the platform called on the Erdogan-led government to lift the ban.

After nine days of no access to Instagram, the services were resumed on August 9.

"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," stated Turkish minister for Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu on social media platform X.

Why Did Turkey Ban Instagram?

Turkey did not reveal the complete reasons for blocking the social media platform. As per the statements from government officials, the platform had not complied with the rules of the Republic and had allowed violated content to be uploaded.

On Saturday, Uraloglu stated that Instagram had "violations linked to content", adding that the Meta platform refused to delete thousands of posts involving "gambling, drugs and abuse of children".

Meta denied non-cooperation and revealed it had taken down almost 2,500 posts in the first half of 2024 at the request of the Turkish government.

Turkey further alleged that Instagram had removed all the condolence posts shared over the assassination of Hamas leader and Erdogan-ally Ismail Haniyeh.