Women entrepreneurs hit hard by Turkey's Instagram shutdown

Turkey's decision to block access to Instagram has dealt a significant blow to female entrepreneurs who rely on the platform to market and sell products ranging from homemade cookies to baby bedding.

"We've been using Instagram to showcase our products and reach a wider audience," said Ezgi Akincilar, founder of online retailer Antalya’dan Iste, which sells food products like honey and canned artichokes. Akincilar estimates that more than half of her revenue comes from customers who discover her through Instagram. "There’s no other platform to take its place," she said.

The ban was imposed by Turkey's internet regulator on Aug. 2 without explanation. However, it followed criticism from a senior aide to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who accused Instagram of censoring posts related to the death of Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader. Later, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu cited broader concerns, including "attacks" against Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, unauthorized betting, and "posts of a sexual nature." He also accused Instagram of censorship.

Instagram’s parent company, Meta Platforms Inc., did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Sinem Kocabas, who won an entrepreneurship award from state-run Halkbank last year, said the ban has nearly halted sales for her business, "Dear Deer Love," which sells baby products. "Everyone is losing money. Some companies may even shut down if this ban isn’t lifted soon," Kocabas warned, noting that around 60% of her revenue comes from Instagram.

The ban comes at a challenging time for Turkish businesses, with domestic demand weakening after the central bank sharply increased its benchmark interest rate to 50% from 8.5% in under a year to combat inflation. Credit card spending, crucial for online purchases, has been flat since April, according to the central bank, with discretionary spending shrinking in real terms.

The disruption has raised concerns among business leaders. Esra Bezircioglu, chairwoman of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey, warned that the ban could "disrupt communications and result in client dissatisfaction," leading to "strategic hardship" for businesses.

The likelihood of the ban being lifted remains uncertain. On Aug. 6, Uraloglu mentioned "significant progress" in discussions with Instagram but provided no further details. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc emphasized that social media companies "must abide by the laws of our country."

Fatma Gonca Yurtseven, a survivor of the February 2023 earthquakes in southern Hatay province, expressed deep concern. She is part of a women’s collective selling local produce online under the "Hatay Bohcasi" brand. "We don’t have any other channels for this business," Yurtseven said. "Many women are earning their living from this. We don’t know what to do."

[Information sourced from Bloomberg]