Turkey blocks Twitter, Facebook after Istanbul attack

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Turkey blocks Twitter, Facebook after Istanbul attack

Istanbul - Less than hour after the attacks took place the Turkish government announced that it would block news sites.

By Curated by Sarakshi Rai

Published: Wed 29 Jun 2016, 4:47 PM

Last updated: Thu 30 Jun 2016, 8:34 AM

Another terrorist attack made headlines last night after the Istanbul Atatürk Airport was the recipient of a coordinated suicide bombing that has left at least 41 people dead and another 150 wounded.
Less than hour after the attacks took place the Turkish government announced that it would block news sites, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter.
The gag order, issued by the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's office on the grounds of "national security and public order," bans sharing of any visuals of the moment of explosion, blast scene, emergency work, of the wounded and dead, or any "exaggerated narrative" about the scene. It also bans the act of sharing any information about the suspects.
Vocativ reported that, Turkish Internet service providers shut down access to Facebook and Twitter. Instagram seems to still be accessible for Turkey residents, though that could change.

Confirmed: Twitter and Facebook blocked in #Turkey by throttling at 1:06AM after #Ataturk #Istanbul airport attacks pic.twitter.com/LoEblca3G9
- Turkey Blocks (@TurkeyBlocks) June 28, 2016

This is not the first time that Turkey has issued such an order. Since April 2015, Turkey's censorship of news about government or security has increased exponentially. The country amended its "Internet Law" to authorise ministers to ban internet content concerning "national security and public order."
Turkey blocked access to Facebook and Twitter following the Ankara bombing in April and also temporarily banned Twitter in December after images of a stand-off between police and far-left militants circulated throughout the social media site.
Meanwhile, this is what it's like to use social media in Turkey right now.

Social media is now throttled in #Turkey denying access to information on #AtaturkAirport terror attacks #KeepItOn pic.twitter.com/Bzp5Qpnnw4
- Turkey Blocks (@TurkeyBlocks) June 28, 2016