Multiple internet providers in Turkey have restricted access to Twitter. It has happened as authorities raise concerns over disinformation online, although no formal explanation has been provided, according to the NetBlocks, an internet observatory. Twitter, it says, has been restricted in Turkey on Wednesday.
NetBlocks which tracks cyber security and digital governance, connectivity and democracy, and internet outages, says the network data confirms the restriction of Twitter on multiple internet providers in Turkey as of Wednesday 8 February 2023.
It says Real-time NetBlocks metrics indicate that Twitter has been restricted by means of SNI filtering on major internet providers TTNet and Turkcell, and subsequently by other operators, with aggregated reachability statistics collected from an initial set of 40 vantage points. This class of disruption can be worked around using VPN services, which are able to circumvent government internet censorship measures.
NetBlocks said Turkey has an extensive history of social media restrictions during national emergencies and safety incidents.
NetBlocks recommends against the use of internet filtering due to its disproportionate impact on the public’s right to freely access and impart knowledge.
Earlier NetBlocks reported that internet connectivity remains diminished in southern Turkey after Monday's series of deadly earthquakes; live metrics show a high impact on several cities including Hatay where major power outages and floods are reported.
