Türkiye’s wave of bans: Instagram, Roblox shut down, Facebook, TikTok, X next?

Social media platforms in Türkiye face a wave of potential individual shutdowns, as Instagram, a leading global platform, was blocked in Türkiye. As of Aug. 2, users in Türkiye have been unable to access Instagram. This was followed by a ban on Roblox on Aug. 7, a popular gaming platform among youth, with Türkiye ranking fifth worldwide in Roblox player numbers, according to sports news website Esports.net.

The Instagram ban followed the blocking of posts related to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, after his assassination in Tehran. The Information Technologies Authority (BTK) cited reasons including “promotion of gambling and drug use,” and “child sexual exploitation.”

Roblox was blocked due to concerns over content that could lead to child exploitation.

What is next, X?

Recent developments suggest that TikTok might also face a ban in Türkiye.

Huseyin Yayman, chair of the Turkish Parliament’s Digital Media Committee, stated, “The TikTok issue is a national security matter for Türkiye. The shared content is so bizarre and disconnected from reality that it cannot be approved. While there is no official stance from the committee on TikTok’s closure or restriction, public sentiment suggests a desire for its shutdown.”

These actions raise concerns about potential bans on other platforms in Türkiye. Meta’s Facebook, already under scrutiny, could face similar restrictions. This comes amid Facebook’s recent removal of a T24 news article about Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, citing community standards violations.

Platforms like X, formerly Twitter, and YouTube may also face restrictions. The ongoing wave of bans, starting with Instagram, suggests a possible continuation of this trend. The lack of public resistance to these measures could prompt further government action, potentially leading to broader social media access restrictions.

Türkiye has previously imposed restrictions on various websites and platforms, including YouTube, Wikipedia, X, WordPress, Blogger, Blogspot and MySpace.