Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp blocked in Turkey

The Turkish government once again resorts to blocking internet access to maintain control. Image @TurkeyBlocks

Social media have almost taken over the lives of users who frequent the internet. Except in Turkey, where said services are currently being blocked, the Next Web reported.

The news site reports that an internet monitoring group called Turkey Blocks has confirmed that Turkey is restricting access to Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.

It’s not an outright block but it might as well be, since access to these sites are being throttled or slowed down.

It is currently being speculated that this is connected to the overnight detention of 11 Members of Parliament who belong to the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party.

In light of the failed coup in July to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, opposition politicians gave out a warning that a slow-motion counter-coup would be implemented to restructure the government.

Worth noting is that the Turkish government has blocked internet access before and during past conflicts. The previous month also saw Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and GitHub being blocked in an attempt to stem the leak of emails from Berat Albayrak, the minister of energy and natural resources.  Alfred Bayle