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The easiest way to access censored websites, apps and online services in Turkey is to first connect to a VPN. A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, encrypts a device's internet traffic and routes it through an intermediary server in a location outside of Turkey. You can sign up for a VPN for a few dollars per month, then use your provider's app to connect to a server. Because this server is presumably outside of Turkey, you can bypass government censorship and freely access blocked content.
The Turkish government requires internet service providers in the country to block websites for a number of reasons. File sharing and streaming sites are often blocked due to intellectual property infringement. Materials deemed illegal under Turkish law are blocked as well, including sites related to child abuse, gambling prostitution, and other forms of obscenity. Sites that defame or insult Turkish leaders are often censored, as are any news or social media sites reporting on certain political issues. The government is increasingly willing to temporarily or permanently restrict access to sites and apps in times of domestic crisis, including VoIP and messaging services. Even if you don't want to access censored content, VPNs are now a necessity for journalists, bloggers, whistleblowers, and activists who require the utmost level of privacy online.
Turkey actively blacklists known VPN services used to bypass its state-mandated censorship. There's no promise that A VPN service which works in Turkey today will still work tomorrow. That being said, a handful of VPN providers have been able to keep their customers in Turkey happy with a fair amount of consistency. Check out our list of the best VPNs for Turkey here. Make sure to sign up and download the app before entering Turkey if possible.