Turkey's recent decision to block Instagram could lead to daily economic losses of about 1.9 billion Turkish liras (~57 million US dollars), according to İstanbul Planning Agency (İPA), the municipal statistical agency.
Buğra Gökçe, head of İPA, said on social media that if the ban persists for 52 days, it could negate the economic benefits of Turkey's recent 100 billion lira public savings package.
"Was this penalty imposed on Instagram or on Turkey?" he questioned and warned that "as the Instagram access ban extends, the Turkish economy suffers, with reduced sales for Turkish businesses."
He added, "These unmeasured, illegal actions come at a cost borne only by our people. The Instagram ban impoverishes Turkey every day."
The ban, enacted on August 2 by Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), is considered to have significantly affected e-commerce and influencer economy.
Turkey blocks Instagram after Erdoğan aide’s ‘censorship’ claim over killed Hamas leader
Although no official court decision or explicit rationale for the ban has been provided, the timing aligns with Turkish government officials criticizing Instagram for restricting posts commemorating Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated on July 31. Hours after accusations of ‘censorship’ by Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, Instagram was blocked nationwide.
The BTK justified the ban by stating that Instagram had violated laws related to ‘catalog crimes,’ which include offenses of disrupting public order and national integrity, incitement to suicide, promotion of drug use, and child exploitation.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu had said that the ban would be lifted if Instagram complies with Turkish laws, though he did not specify which laws were violated.
In a separate statement today, the minister said that a meeting with Instagram representatives is scheduled for today to address these concerns and expressed optimism about reaching a resolution. (VK)
