Turkey restricted access to major social media platforms as political tensions flared, even as new data showed the country's economy growing faster than Europe's largest economies.
Social Media Access Curtailed Amid Opposition Rallies
On Monday, global internet monitor NetBlocks reported that platforms including Elon Musk's X, YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc.,'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google, Meta Platforms Inc.'s (NASDAQ:META) Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp and ByteDance-owned TikTok were blocked on multiple Turkish networks, reported Reuters.
The disruption began Sunday night after the main opposition Republican People's Party called for rallies, prompting police to set up barricades outside its Istanbul headquarters.
According to Turkey's Freedom of Expression Association, bandwidth throttling started around 8:45 p.m. GMT. The Access Providers Union, which enforces government blocking orders, did not immediately comment.
Turkey has previously also targeted social media companies. In August 2024, Instagram faced a nine-day ban over alleged violations of Turkish law before agreeing to comply with local demands.
Economy Surpasses European Peers
The restrictions come as Turkey reported stronger-than-expected economic growth.
Gross domestic product expanded 4.8% year-over-year in the second quarter, exceeding forecasts of 3.8%, the Turkish Statistical Institute said. Quarter-on-quarter growth reached 1.6%, also above expectations.
The construction and IT sectors were key drivers, helping Turkey outperform Germany, France and Spain. Germany's economy grew just 0.2% in the same period, while France posted 0.8% and Spain 2.8%, according to Trading Economics.
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