Meta has announced that it received a significant penalty from the Turkish authorities for opposing demands to curtail content on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration has been attempting to stifle dissent and opposition online following widespread protests triggered by the detention of Istanbul’s mayor, who poses a significant challenge to Erdogan’s leadership.
In a statement, Meta expressed, “We resisted requests from the Turkish government to limit content that is undeniably in the public’s interest and have consequently been fined.” The social media giant did not specify the penalty amount but described it as “substantial” while withholding details about the contentious content. Efforts to contact the Turkish government for comments have been undertaken.
Meta further emphasized, “Government demands to suppress online speech, coupled with threats to shut down digital platforms, impose a severe and intimidating impact on individuals’ freedom of expression.” In recent years, Turkey’s government has increasingly sought more control over social media outlets. Following the March 19 arrest of opposition figure and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, several platforms including X, Instagram, and Facebook experienced restrictions.
Notably, more than 700 X accounts, spanning journalists, media entities, civil society members, and student organizations, were blocked according to the Media and Law Studies Association. The platform X indicated its plans to challenge the blocks. Additionally, numerous individuals face detention over social media expressions perceived as supporting the protests.