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Türkiye’s Instagram ban impacts $57 million-a-day e-commerce trade

Türkiye’s Instagram ban impacts $57 million-a-day e-commerce trade

FCHAIN Türkiye Office Informs:

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hit out at social media platforms after his government blocked Instagram

Platform blocked
Officials in talks with Meta
50 million active users

Instagram has been blocked in Türkiye, affecting both social interactions and the economy. The ban, which started on August 2, was imposed without a clear reason from Turkish regulators. This action came after Fahrettin Altun, communications director for the Turkish presidency, accused Instagram of censorship for allegedly blocking condolence posts related to Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan supported these criticisms, claiming that social media platforms are trying to “muzzle” people.

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) later stated that the Instagram ban was related to “catalogue crimes,” which include various offenses such as disrupting public order and incitement to criminal activity, although no specific post was identified as violating these rules.

A Meta spokesperson told Reuters on Monday: “Millions of people are being deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends, and businesses are no longer able to reach their customers in the same way.

“We will continue to do everything we can to restore our services.”

Many of Türkiye’s 50 million active Instagram accounts are used for business purposes. According to the trade ministry, at least $57 million worth of e-commerce is conducted each day, with a large portion carried out through social media.

Dr. Buğra Gökçe, head of the Istanbul Planning Agency, told AGBI that companies in the tourism and entertainment sectors, along with small and medium-sized businesses and freelance service providers, use Instagram to advertise their activities – but have been cut off.

“Those who visit these sites now cannot do so. Those who are influenced by the photos, videos, or promotions on Instagram now have no chance to access their websites to make purchases, as the link is cut,” he said.