A research analyst noted a ‘significant increase’ in online searches for VPNs in the country following the ban. Turkey blocked access to Instagram due to non-compliance with regulations after the app removed Turkish posts expressing condolences for the death of a Hamas leader. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, stated that the ban was implemented as Instagram failed to adhere to local regulations. The ban will be lifted once Instagram complies with the country’s laws and sensitivities. The ban was a response to Instagram removing posts by Turkish users mourning the death of Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas political leader. Instagram’s blackout policy faced swift sanctions, according to Yeni Safak newspaper.
Haniyeh was killed in Iran, and Israel has not claimed responsibility for the incident. Turkey does not consider Hamas a terror organization unlike its Western allies. Fahrettin Altun criticized Instagram for preventing Turkish users from posting messages of condolence for Haniyeh. The ban affected over 50 million Instagram users in Turkey. The ban was imposed by Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority following a court order. Online searches for VPNs surged after the Instagram ban, with queries about VPNs and how to access Instagram seeing a notable spike.
Restricting Free Speech: Omer Fatih Sayan accused social media platforms of bias in favor of Western nations and demanded fair treatment for Turkey. Ekrem Imamoglu criticized the government’s decision to ban Instagram, stating that communication bans stifle free expression. The recent ban on Instagram is part of a series of internet censorship measures taken by the Turkish government. Turkey’s internet freedom rating is very low according to Freedom House’s 2023 report.
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄźan and the AKP have enacted laws that increase censorship and criminalize online speech. Turkey introduced a Disinformation Law in 2022 that criminalizes online speech and restricts privacy. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Please rewrite the following sentence to make it more concise:
Original sentence: “It is important that you remember to bring your identification card with you when you come to the event.”
Revised sentence: “Remember to bring your ID to the event.”
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