Turkey has reinstated access to Instagram after more than a week of being blocked nationwide. The country barred access to Instagram on Aug. 2 without providing a specific reason. Government officials later said the ban was imposed because the social media platform failed to abide by Turkish laws. Turkey’s transportation and infrastructure minister said Saturday that Instagram officials assured Turkey its requests would be met. Abdulkadir Uraloglu said that accounts owned by “terrorist” organizations would be banned and all content promoting such organizations would be removed. He singled out groups including the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, an outlawed group that has waged a decades-long insurgency to establish an autonomous region in southeast Turkey.
Search / 27 results found Showing: 1-10 of 27
Russia’s state communications watchdog says it has blocked access to the Signal messaging app, the latest move in the authorities efforts to tighten controls over information amid the fighting in Ukraine. The agency, Roskomnadzor, said Friday it made the decision because of Signal’s “violation of the requirements of Russian legislation." Russian authorities have expanded their crackdown on dissent and free media after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. They have blocked multiple Russian-language media outlets critical of the Kremlin, and cut access to Twitter, which later became X, as well as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. In the latest blow to the freedom of information, YouTube faced mass outages on Thursday.
Three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna this week are canceled following arrests over an apparent plot to launch an attack in the area, potentially at the stadium itself. The superstar’s Eras Tour was scheduled for the Ernst Happel Stadium in sold-out shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The cancelations left tens of thousands of fans devastated. Many had planned to travel from across the globe to the Austrian capital. Others had already arrived by the time the news broke late Wednesday. Event organizer Barracuda Music said in a post on its Instagram channel that “we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused social media platforms of “digital fascism” for allegedly censoring photographs of Palestinian “martyrs.” The Turkish leader’s comments on Monday came as Turkish officials were engaged in discussions with Instagram representatives to reinstate access to millions of its users in the country. Turkey barred access to Instagram on Aug. 2. Media reports said the action was in response to Instagram removing posts by Turkish users that expressed condolences over the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Fans cheer for Wisin, the "puppy luchador" at a lucha libre event at the Institute of Youth, in Mexico City, Thursday, July 25, 2024. Wisin was originally created by the institute to motivate children to exercise, however his character has evolved into a viral meme across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Wisin, the "puppy luchador" taunts an opponent during a lucha libre event at the Institute of Youth, in Mexico City, Thursday, July 25, 2024. Wisin was originally created by the institute to motivate children to exercise, however his character has evolved into a viral meme across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Fans cheers on Wisin, the "puppy luchador" at a lucha libre event at the Institute of Youth, in Mexico City, Thursday, July 25, 2024. Wisin was originally created by the institute to motivate children to exercise, however his character has evolved into a viral meme across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Wisin, the "puppy luchador" hangs on the ropes during a lucha libre event at the Institute of Youth, in Mexico City, Thursday, July 25, 2024. Wisin was originally created by the institute to motivate children to exercise, however his character has evolved into a viral meme across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
FILE - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a news conference in Ankara, Turkey, May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)
Turkey’s communications authority has blocked access to the social media platform, Instagram. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority, which regulates the internet, did not provide a reason for the move on Friday. Media reports suggest that the action was taken in response to Instagram’s removal of posts from Turkey that expressed condolences for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. It came days after a top presidential aide criticized the Meta-owned platform for preventing users in Turkey from posting messages of condolences. Turkey has a track record of censoring social media and websites.
