Turkey Restores Instagram Access After Censorship Agreement and Blocks Roblox Over Child Exploitation Concerns

Turkey Restores Instagram Access After Censorship Agreement and Blocks Roblox Over Child Exploitation Concerns
Image credit: Pixabay 

Turkey Lifts Instagram Ban Following Censorship Agreement

Turkey has restored access to Instagram after the social media platform agreed to meet the country’s demands regarding censorship and content related to catalog crimes. Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu confirmed the agreement in a post on X. The platform had been inaccessible in Turkey for over a week, starting on August 2, with no initial explanation provided by the authorities.

Instagram Blocked Over Hamas-Related Content

The decision to block Instagram came after Turkey’s head of communications, Fahrettin Altun, accused the platform of censoring posts that expressed condolences for Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of Hamas who was recently killed. On Saturday, Uraloglu cited concerns over content related to catalog crimes, which include murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, and torture. NetBlocks, an organization that monitors internet disruptions, confirmed that access to Instagram had begun to return on Saturday.

Turkey Blocks Roblox Over Child Exploitation Concerns
Image credit: Roblox 

Turkey Bans Roblox Over Child Exploitation Concerns

Shortly after blocking Instagram, Turkey took action against another platform, Roblox, banning it nationwide due to concerns about inappropriate sexual content that was perceived as exploiting children. According to a report by Türkiye Today, the ban was implemented following an investigation by the chief public prosecutor’s office. An official from the Türkiye Directorate of Communications cited "promotion of homosexuality" and the use of the game's virtual currency, Robux, as factors contributing to the decision.

Turkey’s History of Social Media Restrictions

Turkey has a history of restricting access to major social media platforms. Twitter was briefly blocked last year following an earthquake that claimed thousands of lives. In 2014, both YouTube and Twitter faced similar bans. The latest actions against Instagram and Roblox highlight the country’s ongoing efforts to control content on social media platforms.

Roblox's Ongoing Legal Challenges

Roblox has faced its own set of issues, particularly related to child exploitation complaints. Earlier this year, the company was sued over accusations of exploiting child labor and engaging in deceptive advertising practices. The company also faced a lawsuit in 2022 for allegedly allowing adult users to sexually prey on a 10-year-old girl. Other platforms like Discord, Snap, and Meta were also named in that lawsuit.