M. Ahmet Karabay
Since Turkey transitioned to a one-man regime, it’s been widely discussed that almost everything started to become monochromatic. However, recently, the colors of diversity have started to become more noticeable again. The most vivid and concrete example of this can be seen in the debates about the “untaxed elites” being secretly leaked to the public. Today, I will share with you some behind-the-scenes information about a debate within Erdoğan’s cabinet.
Those of us who have been active journalists for many years, like myself, have witnessed various behind-the-scenes stories from within the government before 2002. Many of these stories were written in a careful manner and shared with the public under the label “behind the scenes.” Very few were withheld for various reasons.
Sometimes, critical information was deliberately not shared. The reason might have been that the information was too sensitive to be made public. This critical information would be kept in reserve, to be revealed as “Part 2” when a debate arose or when the government chose to deny it.
This practice continued during the early years of the AK Party as well. This was especially true during the first term when the AK Party, with 34.2% of the vote, fell just eight seats short of three-quarters of the Parliament. Almost all Cabinet meetings, except for the very confidential ones, would end up on the desks of newsrooms in written form.
This situation began to change following the 27 April e-Memorandum, the 22 July 2007 General Elections, and the Presidential Elections in August of that same year when the AK Party began to infiltrate the state’s most intricate veins.
With the 12 September 2010 Constitutional Referendum, Erdoğan’s “point of no return” became evident. For many things, it was “too late.” The process we have all lived through and witnessed unfolded after that.
Was Shutting Down Instagram a Victory or a Defeat?
For some time now, the AK Party has been exhibiting the same symptoms seen in the disintegration process of large entities. Just as many attribute Erdoğan’s rise to becoming the One Man to July 15, it would be incorrect to do so. Similarly, it would be a mistake to attribute the AK Party’s decline to the March 31 Local Elections. The visibility of the decline truly began with the local elections held in March 2019.
The AK Party’s repressive mentality has led to unprecedented censorship and prohibitive practices. Social media has been a significant target of these actions. Previously, YouTube and Twitter (then known as X) were shut down. Unlike the recent Instagram ban, these shutdowns did not last as briefly. Some bans lasted for months.
This time, however, the ban on Instagram found much greater resonance than previous social media bans for another reason. During earlier bans, social media wasn’t as commercially vital. Instagram had become an essential tool for businesses and ordinary people to reach their customers.
The financial loss due to the ban was reported to be around $1.7 to $2 billion. However, an even more crucial aspect than the size of the loss was how many people were affected by it.
Instagram had a broader base of users than even those in power could have anticipated. Consequently, the access ban significantly hindered many people’s ability to make a living. Although the silent outcry of this large group might not have been heard enough, nothing disturbs people more than having their livelihood taken away.
People cannot tolerate any disruption to their income, and they are unlikely to easily forgive whoever is responsible for it.
The Cabinet Debate Beyond Familiar Norms
The cabinet meeting held during the Instagram ban began as a routine session. Before moving on to the agenda items, the Instagram ban became a topic of discussion.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Nuri Ersoy stated that imposing the ban during the peak season was a great misfortune for tourism. He explained that tourists sharing images of their surroundings is invaluable for promoting the country. He emphasized that most of the reservations for the following season are secured through these posts. Minister Nuri Ersoy pointed out that by banning Instagram, they were shooting themselves in the foot and should stop doing so immediately.
After the Minister of Tourism, Minister of Commerce Ömer Bolat took the floor. Bolat noted that the economy was going through a tough period and that the ban had hindered many from housewives to small business owners and producers from doing business.
During these challenging times, he remarked that on top of everything else, the Instagram ban was pushing all these groups away from the AK Party. He urged the lifting of the ban to allow these groups to resume their activities. He also emphasized that Instagram is an integral part of young people’s lives and that this ban would lead to significant losses in the AK Party’s voter base.
Responding to these concerns, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdülkadir Uraloğlu spoke next. He stated that the real censorship came from Meta, the company that owns Instagram. He reminded that Meta blocks access to posts it disagrees with. Uraloğlu emphasized that Turkey stands with the oppressed Palestinian people.
He mentioned that negotiations with Instagram management were ongoing and reminded that the access ban was personally ordered by President Tayyip Erdoğan. He stressed that the final decision would also be made by Erdoğan.
Minister Uraloğlu noted another point. Responding to claims that the Instagram ban would lead to a loss of votes, he said, “Our President can make a move that will prevent all these losses. He is the one who can best explain that this is necessary for the country’s and the ummah’s well-being.” He argued that if some votes are lost in the pursuit of the nation’s and the ummah’s well-being, it should not be a cause for concern.
“Meta Has Been Humbled” Approach
The Instagram access ban, imposed on August 2, was lifted after eight days. After the restrictions on some accounts and the limitations imposed on condolence messages for Ismail Haniyeh, the Political Bureau Chief of Palestine, were lifted, Instagram returned to normal.
Supporters of the government tried to sell this to the public as “Instagram has been humbled!” However, the distance between the youth and the AK Party became even more apparent. Those who used Instagram for commercial purposes became even more convinced that nothing in Turkey could be trusted. Tourists, meanwhile, were unable to fully enjoy their vacations due to their inability to share their experiences.
