Latest on access restrictions to Instagram and Roblox: Statement from Minister Tekin

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin has made statements regarding the blocking of access to the gaming platform Roblox and the social media platform Instagram in Turkey.

In a statement shared on his social media account, Tekin noted that in the digital age, the safety and healthy development of children carry greater importance than ever, and that alongside schools, teachers, and educational environments, social media channels are particularly influential in children's development.

Stating that as a Ministry, they have taken various measures to protect children from the dangers they may encounter in the digital world and to prevent digital addiction, Tekin noted the following:

"In recent years, social media platforms and online games have been taking up a large portion of our children's time. These platforms can host content that may negatively affect our students' social, academic, and psychological development. Popular platforms such as Instagram and Roblox, in particular, can lead our children to be dragged into digital addiction and encounter uncontrolled content that we can call digital fascism. There is no doubt that it is essential for digital media platforms to respect universal law, domestic law, and our responsibilities toward the future. Let us not forget that protecting our children from the digital fascism of social media tools is our collective responsibility. We must stand together against digital fascism."