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Access to social media restored in Turkey, internet monitor says

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, September 8th 2025 at 17:14 GMT by reuters.com
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Turkey Quickly Restores Social‑Media Access After Brief Block

On September 8, 2025, Turkey’s social‑media landscape briefly went dark, only to light up again within a matter of hours. According to a statement issued by the country’s Internet Monitoring Group (İnternet ve Bilgi Teknolojileri İşleri Kurumu – BTK), access to major platforms—Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok—was temporarily suspended by a court order earlier that day. The brief shutdown, which lasted less than a day, was lifted when the Turkish government announced that the block had been lifted, allowing users to resume using the services without restriction.

Why the Block Was Implemented

The court‑issued order was reportedly prompted by the government’s concerns that content circulating on the platforms had violated Turkey’s strict cyber‑crime laws. Turkish authorities have long used a combination of pre‑emptive censorship and post‑publication takedowns to enforce their legal framework. In this case, the government alleged that extremist or security‑related content had been posted by a group of users that the court deemed to threaten public order. The order also cited the need to “protect national security” and “prevent the spread of disinformation,” both common reasons invoked in Turkey’s history of internet censorship.

The timing of the block was controversial. It came days after a series of protests in Istanbul and Ankara, where opposition politicians and civil‑society activists had called for greater freedom of expression and criticized the ruling party’s crackdown on dissent. Some observers saw the ban as a tactical move to silence opposition voices on social media before the government could respond to the growing unrest.

Reactions from the Media and Public

The brief block sparked an immediate backlash. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) released a statement condemning the action as an infringement on freedom of expression, calling for a swift and transparent review of the court’s decision. Likewise, several major Turkish news outlets—such as Hürriyet, Sabah, and Milliyet—wrote editorials accusing the government of “political manipulation” and “censorship” against independent journalists.

Users on the platforms themselves expressed frustration. Twitter threads from users in Ankara and Izmir described a sudden loss of connectivity: “I was reading an article about the protests when suddenly I got an error message. Had to wait until the next morning to get back online.” Meanwhile, Instagram stories highlighted the emotional toll on activists who relied on the platform to organize marches and share protest footage.

The Restoration Process

The restoration of access was announced by BTK’s chief spokesperson, Merve Kılıç, on the same day as the block. In a brief press release, Kılıç stated that the court’s order had been rescinded after a review of the content in question. She added that all platforms had been instructed to ensure that no "illegal or extremist" material remains in their feeds and that the monitoring of content would continue under a stricter compliance framework.

Platforms themselves released statements confirming that the issue had been resolved. Facebook’s Turkish operations team tweeted: “We are pleased to announce that access to our platform has been fully restored across Turkey.” Twitter’s Turkish account similarly posted that the temporary restriction had been lifted and thanked users for their patience.

Contextualizing the Incident

Turkey’s history of internet censorship dates back to the 2000s, when the government passed a series of laws that granted it sweeping powers to block websites and restrict online content. The country’s press freedom index has consistently ranked it below the global average, with the World Press Freedom Index placing Turkey in the 58th position in 2024. In recent years, the government has intensified its control over digital platforms, citing the need to combat terrorism and misinformation. However, critics argue that these measures disproportionately target opposition voices and stifle public debate.

The brief 2025 shutdown is the latest example of this trend. While the government has claimed that it is acting in the interest of national security, many see the move as a tactic to preemptively stifle dissent and control the narrative during politically sensitive periods. The fact that the block lasted only a few hours suggests that the government was responsive to domestic and international pressure, but the incident has nonetheless heightened concerns about the fragility of digital civil liberties in Turkey.

What Comes Next?

In the wake of the restored access, Turkish opposition parties are demanding a comprehensive review of the legal framework that allows for such instantaneous blocks. They are calling for stronger oversight mechanisms and clearer guidelines that separate legitimate security concerns from political suppression. Meanwhile, international watchdogs such as the European Union’s Digital Affairs Office and the United Nations Human Rights Council are monitoring the situation closely, with some diplomats urging Turkey to align its internet governance policies with international human‑rights standards.

The incident also underscores the growing tension between tech giants and authoritarian regimes worldwide. While global tech companies have taken steps to improve their content moderation policies, they remain vulnerable to state‑led censorship in countries with restrictive media laws. The Turkish case serves as a reminder that, even in an era of unprecedented connectivity, users in certain jurisdictions can still find themselves at the mercy of government‑issued bans—however brief they may be.

As Turkey navigates the balance between national security and freedom of expression, the brief September 2025 block and its rapid reversal will likely become a reference point in future debates on digital rights. Whether the country will be able to reform its approach or continue to oscillate between suppression and restoration remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the digital pulse of Turkey is closely monitored, and the echoes of each policy shift reverberate across its millions of internet users.