Following the martyrdom of Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Ismail Haniyeh, Instagram, which has blacked out many posts from Turkey, continues to block access. For this reason, talks between Instagram and Turkish authorities are ongoing. In the latest meeting between the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure officials and platform representatives, new steps were taken to resolve the issue.
Expectations of Turkish Authorities
Turkey’s expectations for the platform to be reopened were clearly communicated. As a result of the talks, a positive response was received regarding the regulation of the PKK’s social media posts. In this context, authorities presented Instagram with a three-item condition:
- Removal of PKK Content: Stating that the terrorist organization PKK is Turkey’s red line, it was requested that the problems in removing content in favor of the PKK be resolved urgently. It was requested that sensitivity be shown on this issue and a more active attitude be displayed.
- Attention to Consumer Rights: Turkey also demanded that consumer rights be taken into consideration on the platform. It was emphasized that users’ posts should be evaluated within the scope of personal freedom of expression.
- Fast Removal of Catalog Crimes:It was brought to the agenda that the content included in the catalog crimes should be removed quickly.
Audit and Access Granting Process
Turkey is the fifth country with the most Instagram users, with 57.1 million users. Every day that Instagram remains closed, the platform suffers serious losses. If Meta Company has a dispute with Turkey over catalog crimes, Instagram may risk losing the Turkish market entirely.
Digital content producer Orhan Toker said, “Instagram has 80 million users in Turkey. This number is quite important for Meta. They will provide the necessary conditions. However, Meta has many issues that need to be monitored. Privacy violations, intentional sexual content being presented to children, children under the age of 13 being accepted to the platform, and unfair censorship are some of the issues that draw attention. Even if Instagram is opened to access, these issues should definitely be monitored.”
Privacy Violations and Risks to Children
Toker stated that Instagram violated privacy and shared user profiles with its business partners. “All content you upload to Instagram is considered an action. Even if the profile is private, this information can be shared with business partners. “With the access of artificial intelligence, malicious people can obtain inappropriate content from these contents,” he added.
Stating that the algorithm intentionally exposes children to sexual content, Toker said, “Last year, the owner of Meta was tried in this regard and accepted the charges. When children start using Instagram, they can come across half-naked photos after scrolling through a few videos. This is done intentionally.”
The Importance of Local Rules
Toker, who emphasized that children under the age of 13 should not be accepted to the platform, stated that children opened accounts by declaring their birth dates incorrectly, but that no restrictions were imposed despite the algorithm detecting this. “They stand with perverted organizations. They remove content prepared to protect children from bad content by saying it violates community rules. “Each country has its own rules and these should not be censored.”
