On March 19, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Ekrem İmamoğluFollowing the large-scale operation launched against 105 people, including , internet access in Türkiye has faced a serious crisis. Following İmamoğlu’s detention, there has been a major access problem to social media platforms. X, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube While there were difficulties in accessing common social media platforms such as, the blockages were not limited to social media only, all internet access became difficult.
Social Media Access is Limited, Internet Speed is Crashed
The access problem started around 19:06 on the morning of March 00, and immediately afterwards, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok were blocked. Users also had difficulty accessing many internet-based services such as banking applications, shopping platforms and music services. netblocks According to the statements made by, these blockages were confirmed as of 08:27. Everything connected to the internet, as well as social media platforms, has caused difficulties in accessing other online services that have an important place in daily life.
This situation has caused a huge backlash from the opposition, and the incident has been described as a “political coup.” However, the government has not made an official statement on the matter. This uncertainty leaves questions in mind as to whether the slowdown and restrictions on the internet are a political decision or a technical problem.
Band Throttling Claims and VPN Failure
The claims of bandwidth throttling became more evident on the second day of the process. On Wednesday, internet speeds worsened and even basic internet services such as video uploads and messaging were disrupted. Many news sites and websites were unable to open due to this slowdown in internet speed. Mobile operators and fixed broadband internet users experienced the same problem, and even those who tried to bypass these restrictions using VPNs were unable to access the internet at sufficient speeds.
According to Netblocks' statement on the morning of March 20, the effect of the bandwidth throttling varies between 70 and 100 percent. This situation leaves internet users in a state of great uncertainty and discomfort. It is stated that even VPNs are inadequate in the face of such strict blocking, which is dragging citizens into a difficult period.
When Will the Crisis End?
There is no clear information yet about when the internet crisis will end. Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure BTKWhile no official statement has been made by the Istanbul Governor's Office, the ban on all kinds of meetings, demonstrations and press releases between March 19-23 brings to the agenda the possibility that the band restriction may continue during this period. The Istanbul Governor's Office stated that this decision was taken in order to protect public order and prevent provocative actions.
If bandwidth throttling is implemented as a political decision, it is estimated that this situation could continue for a long time. On the other hand, in the event of a technical problem, the process could accelerate depending on the speed at which internet service providers produce a solution. Currently, Turkey continues to live in an environment of uncertainty where internet speeds are slowing down and access to social media platforms is restricted.
While internet access has become one of the most basic needs that users face in their daily lives, it remains unclear when this crisis will end and whether the restrictions on social media will be lifted.
