Major social media platforms face restrictions in Türkiye

Major social media platforms in Türkiye, including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, faced restrictions on Thursday, a day after a deadly terrorist attack at the Turkish Aerospace and Defense company TUSAS in Ankara.

The attack resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals and left over 22 injured when armed assailants stormed the facility.

NetBlocks, a global internet observatory, reported on X that live metrics confirmed the restrictions on these platforms in Turkey.

“Confirmed: Live metrics show social media platforms including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have been restricted in #Turkey,” wrote NetBlocks in a post on X.

As reported, in response to the attack, Turkish authorities imposed a broadcast ban on media coverage of the incident and restricted access to social media platforms to control the flow of information.

Details of the Attack

• The assault on Wednesday occurred around 4 PM local time, coinciding with a shift change at TUSAS, located approximately 40 kilometres from Ankara
• Eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage revealed that three attackers arrived in a yellow taxi, with one entering the building while firing a weapon
• The Turkish Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, confirmed the incident as a “terrorist attack” and indicated that initial investigations suggest involvement from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)

Earlier in the month, Türkiye’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc warned social media platforms and websites operating in Türkiye, emphasizing that they must comply with Turkish laws – particularly concerning criminal content.

In a statement shared on his social media account, Tunc underlined the legal obligations of platforms that serve millions of users in Türkiye, stressing that “no one is above the law.”

“These social media providers and websites, which have millions of users in our country, are also required to abide by the laws and regulations of the Republic of Türkiye,” Tunc said.

“No one has any privileges,” he maintained.