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. Reuters reported.
Turkey blocked access to the social media platform on August 2 for failing to comply with the country's “laws and rules” and public sensitivities.
A senior Turkish official has accused Instagram of blocking condolence posts over the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian group Hamas.
Turkey has denounced Israel's attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire and criticised what it calls unconditional support for Israel by the West.
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 regarding catalog crimes and 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, abuse 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 has agreed to comply with Turkish law and ensure efficient removal of posts and content if they contain 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 restored on major internet providers in Turkey after a nationwide restriction lasting nine days. This is the longest ban on a major social media platform in the country in recent years,” internet monitor NetBlocks said.
