Turkey blocks access to Instagram following censorship controversy
Restricting access to the social media platform leaves users in the lurch
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The government of Turkey has blocked access to Instagram – without explaining why. The move to keep citizens off the social media app comes from out of the blue. However, there are several potential (but as yet unconfirmed) causes.
The Turkish Yeni Safak newspaper, which is reportedly close to the Turkish government, suggested the ban was in response to Instagram restricting messages of condolence for the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Turkey’s Presidential aide, Fahrettin Altun, had previously criticized the social media platform, stating: “this is censorship, pure and simple”.
Addressing the ban
The Instagram blockade was first uncovered by online monitoring serviceNetBlocks, which tracks instances of international government net censorship around the globe. The company’sMastodon accountfeatured zero Instagram activity across a range of Internet services and CDNs.
According to the Turkish Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK):
“Instagram.com has been blocked by the decision dated 02/08/2024 and numbered 490.05.01.2024.-608903 of Information and Communications Technology Authority.”
The statement provides clarity onwhathas happened in Turkey, but not the reasons why or the predicted duration of the Instagram ban.
Turkey’s relationship with mainstream social media has been somewhat fraught over recent years – and this is not the first ban that the country has implemented. This most recent incident comes as political tensions in the Middle East are rising dramatically.
Significantly, Turkey does not consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization, with Prime Minister Erdogan describing the group as ‘liberation fighters’.
What’s more, the Turkish government has taken issue with – and subsequently banned – thousands of domains in the past. In 2023,Turkey blocked access to Xafter criticisms of the government’s response to a serious earthquake spread across social media.
Earlier this year the country’s competition authority alsoordered a shutdown of Meta’s Threadsapp for violating Turkey’s data-sharing rules.
Travel disruptions
The Instagram block comes at a particularly frustrating time for tourists headed to Turkey during peak vacation season. For years, the platform has been a reliable way to keep in touch with friends and family while overseas – as well as document digital mementos from the trip. So, with Instagram effectively inaccessible, tourists heading out to chase the sun may have trouble facilitating long-distance contact with folks back home.
All is not lost, however, as there are a few ways to get around the ban. I’d recommend using one of thebest VPNsto do so – they’re easy to use, even if you’re totally new to the tech, and work just like any other app or program on your device.
We’ve put together an in-depth explanation ofhow VPNs work– minus the jargon.
Connect to a server outside of Turkey (where Instagram isn’t banned) and you’ll be able to browse Instagram as though you were in that location. Plus, VPN encryption ensures that your personal data remains safe from third-party snoopers if you connect to an unsecure Wi-Fi hotspot.
The moral of the story is that these bans will crop up time and again – and travels will be affected by seemingly arbitrary government actions, to – so it’s a good idea to make sure you add a VPN to your luggage.
Nigel Powell is an author, columnist, and consultant with over 30 years of experience in the tech industry. He produced the weekly Don’t Panic technology column in the Sunday Times newspaper for 16 years and is the author of the Sunday Times book of Computer Answers, published by Harper Collins. He has been a technology pundit on Sky Television’s Global Village program and a regular contributor to BBC Radio Five’s Men’s Hour. He’s an expert in all things software, security, privacy, mobile, AI, and tech innovation.
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