Twitter Restricted in Turkey After Earthquake, Says Internet Monitor

Figurines with smartphones and computers in front of the Twitter logo in an illustration on Nov. 28, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Access to Twitter was restricted in Turkey on Wednesday, according to the global internet monitor NetBlocks, following a major earthquake that killed more than 11,500 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday.

“Real-time network data show Twitter has been restricted in Turkey; the filtering is applied on major internet providers and comes as the public come to rely on the service in the aftermath of a series of deadly earthquakes,” said NetBlocks in a tweet.

The incident comes as authorities raise concerns over disinformation online, although no formal explanation has been provided, NetBlocks said.

Users of the platform protested the move as it could hinder ongoing rescue efforts to find people still trapped in the quake zone.

“How come Twitter is restricted on a day communication saves lives? What kind of ineptitude?” the head of the DEVA opposition party, Ali Babacann said on Twitter.

NetBlocks said that users in Turkey are still able to access Twitter by using virtual private networks (VPN).

Twitter CEO Elon Musk said via the platform on Wednesday evening Eastern Standard Time that: “Twitter has been informed by the Turkish government that access will be reenabled shortly.”

Major Communication Tool

Twitter has been a major tool of communication amid the destruction of the earthquake that occurred earlier this week. Turkish residents have tweeted information about loved ones they cannot reach, reports of collapsed buildings in the area, and coordination for aid.

Turkey has a longstanding policy of restricting access to social media platforms during national emergencies and safety incidents, according to NetBlocks.

In a speech on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that he would not allow “disinformation” to spread in the wake of the earthquakes and called on citizens not to listen to “provocateurs”.

Turkish police have detained 18 people since Monday’s earthquake over “provocative” social media posts that criticized how Erdogan’s government has been handling the disaster.

Local residents look on as a crane sifts through the rubble of an eight-floor building that collapsed after the second of two earthquakes in Adana province, Turkey, on Feb. 6, 2023. (Ercan Koc for The Epoch Times)

The Twitter outage came as Erdogan began a tour of the affected region.

In October, Turkey adopted a law proposed by the AK Party that would jail journalists and social media users for up to three years for spreading “disinformation”, sparking deep concerns over free speech.

Critics have said there is no clear definition of “false or misleading information”, leaving the law open to abuse by courts that are not independent. The government denies their claims that courts cracked down on open dissent and silenced opponents in recent years.

The government says the new law aims to regulate online publications, protect the country and combat disinformation.

Reuters contributed to this report.