Turkey Fines Meta For Resisting Content Restrictions On Facebook, Instagram

Meta has announced that the Turkish government has slammed it with hefty fine for resisting demands to limit content on Facebook and Instagram.

“We pushed back on requests from the Turkish government to restrict content that is clearly in the public interest and have been fined by them as a consequence,” the company said in a statement.

The social media company did not disclose the amount of the fine, but said it was “substantial” without providing more details about the said content.

Meta said, “Government requests to restrict speech online alongside threats to shut down online services are severe and have a chilling effect on people’s ability to express themselves.”

The Turkish government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been attempting to suppress dissenting voices on social media, particularly after the protests sparked by the arrest of key opposition figure Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, leading to the blocking of platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook.

According to the Media and Law Studies Association, more than 700 individual X accounts, including those belonging to journalists, media outlets, civil society organisations, and student groups were blocked. X said it would object.

Dozens of persons have been arrested for social media posts deemed to be supporting the protests.