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The Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) made an arbitrary decision without a court order. InstagramThere has been a backlash against the ban on access to Instagram. The ban on Instagram not only violates freedom of expression, but has also caused great economic hardship. Women entrepreneurs who use the social media platform extensively to promote their businesses and make sales have also been negatively affected by the decision. Among those whose businesses have been affected are award-winning entrepreneurs and earthquake victims, as well as people from many walks of life.

‘CREATES CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION’

US financial agency Bloomberg has taken a closer look at how women entrepreneurs’ businesses are affected. Esra Bezircioğlu, President of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey, said that the decision to block Instagram "can disrupt communication and lead to customer dissatisfaction" Bezircioğlu said that such disruptions are detrimental to businesses. "strategic challenges" He said he would create.

Ezgi Akıncılar, founder of online retailer Antalyadan İste, which sells food products, "We were using Instagram to showcase our products and reach a wider customer base" he said.

Akıncılar stated that he owes more than half of his income to the users he finds on Instagram. "There is no other platform that can replace it" he said.

AWARD-WINNING ENTREPRENEUR REACTS TO THE BAN

Sinem Kocabaş, who received an entrepreneurship award from the state bank Halkbank a year ago, said that sales have almost stopped.

Kocabaş’s company, “Dear Deer Love,” which sells baby products, also owes about 60 percent of its income to the business flow from Instagram.

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş and Istanbul Governor Davut Gül also attended the award ceremony of Kocabaş, who came second in the Micro Producer Women Entrepreneur category of the Halkbank 2023 Producing Women Competition.

Kocabaş made an evaluation on the subject, "Everyone is losing money. If this ban is not lifted soon, some companies may close down" he said.

EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS ARE HELPFUL

Fatma Gonca Yurtseven, who survived the Hatay earthquake in February 2023 and is part of a women’s cooperative selling local products online under the brand ‘Hatay Bohçası’, said: "We are in a difficult situation" he said.

Patriotic, "We have no other channel for this job. Many women earn their living from this job. We don’t know what to do" he said.

Source: Women Entrepreneurs, Earthquake Victims… Instagram Ban Played with Thousands of People’s Livelihoods (gercekgundem.com)