[REVISION HISTORY]

Escalating social media access restrictions in Turkey

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-03 13:08 UTC → 2026-10-06 12:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Turkish authorities have significantly escalated social media access restrictions. Following initial bans on 133 accounts on X—which the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office characterized as an organized network spreading propaganda favorable to Israel—and 40 accounts in Adana for spreading disinformation, the scale of censorship has surged. In September 2026, the Freedom of Expression Association (İFÖD) reported that at least 1,270 X accounts were blocked in Turkey. This monthly total exceeded the 995 accounts blocked throughout the entirety of 2025 under Article 8/A of Internet Law No. 5651. A massive surge occurred in the latter half of September, accounting for 941 of those bans. Approximately 90 percent of these accounts were made invisible to users in Turkey by the platform X, following decisions communicated by the Cyber Security Presidency (SGB). The restrictions have targeted a broad spectrum of professionals, including economists such as İris Cibre, academics like Rıdvan Özturgut, lawyers like Yaman Akdeniz, journalists, and news agencies. The collective reach of the affected accounts exceeds 35 million followers. Beyond X, the crackdown has extended to Instagram and the T24 website, impacting human rights organizations, labor organizations like DİSK Basın-İş, and advocacy groups for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. The restrictions have reportedly targeted content concerning fund misappropriation, the Narin Güran murder case, the Furkan Movement, and various political or religious topics. Labor organizations have noted that these actions suggest censorship practices are reaching an “institutionalized level.” In response to the surge, international journalism organizations, including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS), issued a joint call to X. They urged the platform to examine the legal basis of Turkish requests, reject disproportionate demands, and increase transparency.

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