Turkey has started unblocking Instagram, which had been banned since August 2, 2024.Â
The ban was lifted at 9:30 pm on August 10 following negotiations with the platform.
The reason for the block was initially unclear but was later attributed to violations related to gambling, drugs, and child abuse content.
Meta, the company that owns Instagram, responded by denying any non-cooperation, stating it had removed nearly 2,500 posts requested by Turkey in the first half of the year.
Turkish officials had also accused Instagram of blocking messages of condolence for Ismael Haniyeh, a Hamas leader.
Meta apologized for this action.
Instagram is important in Turkey, with 60-70% of the population using it and about $57 million in daily business conducted through the platform.
While Instagram is now accessible, Roblox, another popular platform, remained blocked for four days as of the report.
Meta also apologized for removing posts by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about Haniyeh’s assassination. In February, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously apologized to the U.S. Congress for issues related to children’s safety on social media.
