Turkey has taken the significant step of blocking access to Instagram, according to the country's information technology regulator. The decision, announced on August 2, comes without a stated reason or timeline for the ban, which has rendered both the website and mobile app inaccessible within the country.
This move follows recent criticism from Turkish communications official Fahrettin Altun, who accused the platform of censorship. Altun claimed Instagram had blocked condolence posts related to the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas's political wing. "This is censorship, pure and simple," Altun stated on X (formerly Twitter), adding that Instagram had not cited any policy violations for its actions.
The ban was implemented by Turkey's Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK), which published the decision on its website. As of now, Instagram's parent company, Meta Platforms Inc, has not commented on either the ban or Altun's accusations.
This development marks another instance of tension between social media platforms and the Turkish government, raising concerns about digital freedom and content moderation in the country.
* The Times of Israel contributed to this article.
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