Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has escalated his criticism of social media platforms, particularly Instagram, accusing them of ‘digital fascism’ in their handling of content related to the Gaza crisis and Palestinian casualties. This comes as Turkey continues to block access to Instagram, which has been inaccessible in the country since August 2.Erdogan stated, ‘We are facing digital fascism that cannot even tolerate photos of Palestinian martyrs and immediately bans them, but at the same time, it talks about freedom’. He further accused these platforms of acting ‘like a mafia every time their interests are at stake’.The Turkish government’s stance has significant implications for the country’s 57 million Instagram users. Negotiations between Turkish officials and Instagram representatives are ongoing, with Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stating, ‘We will continue to do everything possible to restore our services’.Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called on the United States to ‘take Israel by the leash,’ emphasizing that the Middle East can no longer tolerate provocations from Israel. Fidan also highlighted Turkey’s efforts to strengthen ties with Egypt amid regional tensions, stating, ‘In these days when our region is surrounded by fire, we are working together with our Egyptian brothers’.These developments reflect broader tensions in Turkey’s foreign policy, particularly regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict and regional diplomacy. As negotiations with Instagram continue and Turkey navigates complex regional dynamics, the outcome of these issues remains uncertain.
Key points
- President Erdogan has accused social media platforms of ‘digital fascism’ over their handling of Gaza-related content.
- Turkey continues to block Instagram access, with ongoing negotiations between officials and the platform.
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called on the US to ‘take Israel by the leash’ and emphasized stronger ties with Egypt amid regional tensions.
Contradictions👾While Erdogan criticizes social media platforms for censorship, Turkey itself has blocked access to Instagram, raising questions about the government’s stance on digital freedoms.
