Turkey has condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire, and criticized what it sees as the West’s unconditional support for Israel. Erdogan’s comments came as Turkey engaged in talks with Instagram to address the issue.
“We are facing a digital fascism that has no tolerance for even the photographs of Palestinian martyrs and bans them immediately,” Erdogan said, referring to Haniyeh’s killing. “They are resorting to every means to hide Israel’s cruelty and muzzle the Palestinian people’s voices. Especially social media companies have literally become militants,” he added in a speech in Ankara.
Israel and its Western allies consider Hamas a terrorist organization, a designation rejected by predominantly Muslim Turkey, a NATO member. The social media block has had significant repercussions for Turkish users and businesses. Instagram is widely used in Turkey, which ranks fifth globally with over 57 million users. A Meta spokesperson stated that the company was committed to restoring its services in Turkey.
The Turkish presidency’s head of communications, Fahrettin Altun, criticized Instagram for what he termed “censorship, pure and simple,” following its alleged decision to bar condolence posts for Haniyeh. Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh in Tehran, although Israel has not claimed responsibility.
The ban has disrupted daily activities and business operations in Turkey. Basak, a 34-year-old jewelry designer with more than 30,000 followers on Instagram, noted the significant impact on her business. “Some of my customers contacted me by accessing Instagram through VPN and other social media platforms, but my chance of accessing new people and potential customers stopped,” she said.
According to Internet monitor NetBlocks, the Instagram access ban is costing the Turkish economy approximately $11.5 million daily. Emre Ekmekci, vice chairman of the Turkish e-commerce businesses association ETID, estimated that Turkish businesses generate around 900 million lira ($27 million) in daily revenue from Instagram. If the ban continues, he predicted a gradual shift of sellers and users to other platforms.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu mentioned that Turkey had expressed certain sensitivities regarding compliance with Turkish laws in a previous meeting with Instagram representatives. The Turkish government is hopeful that ongoing discussions with Instagram will yield a positive resolution, recognizing both the political and commercial implications of the ban.
President Tayyip Erdogan has sharply criticized social media companies, accusing them of trying to silence Palestinian voices after Turkey blocked access to Instagram. The ban followed accusations from a top Turkish official that Instagram blocked condolence posts about the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
Turkey has condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire, and criticized what it sees as the West’s unconditional support for Israel. Erdogan’s comments came as Turkey engaged in talks with Instagram to address the issue.
“We are facing a digital fascism that has no tolerance for even the photographs of Palestinian martyrs and bans them immediately,” Erdogan said, referring to Haniyeh’s killing. “They are resorting to every means to hide Israel’s cruelty and muzzle the Palestinian people’s voices. Especially social media companies have literally become militants,” he added in a speech in Ankara.
Israel and its Western allies consider Hamas a terrorist organization, a designation rejected by predominantly Muslim Turkey, a NATO member. The social media block has had significant repercussions for Turkish users and businesses. Instagram is widely used in Turkey, which ranks fifth globally with over 57 million users. A Meta spokesperson stated that the company was committed to restoring its services in Turkey.
The Turkish presidency’s head of communications, Fahrettin Altun, criticized Instagram for what he termed “censorship, pure and simple,” following its alleged decision to bar condolence posts for Haniyeh. Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh in Tehran, although Israel has not claimed responsibility.
The ban has disrupted daily activities and business operations in Turkey. Basak, a 34-year-old jewelry designer with more than 30,000 followers on Instagram, noted the significant impact on her business. “Some of my customers contacted me by accessing Instagram through VPN and other social media platforms, but my chance of accessing new people and potential customers stopped,” she said.
According to Internet monitor NetBlocks, the Instagram access ban is costing the Turkish economy approximately $11.5 million daily. Emre Ekmekci, vice chairman of the Turkish e-commerce businesses association ETID, estimated that Turkish businesses generate around 900 million lira ($27 million) in daily revenue from Instagram. If the ban continues, he predicted a gradual shift of sellers and users to other platforms.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu mentioned that Turkey had expressed certain sensitivities regarding compliance with Turkish laws in a previous meeting with Instagram representatives. The Turkish government is hopeful that ongoing discussions with Instagram will yield a positive resolution, recognizing both the political and commercial implications of the ban.
