Turkey Fines Meta for Refusing to Comply with Content Restrictions on Facebook and Instagram
Meta has revealed that the Turkish government has imposed a significant fine on the company for resisting demands to restrict content on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram.
In a statement, Meta explained, “We pushed back against the Turkish government’s requests to limit content that is clearly in the public interest, and as a result, we have been fined.”
While Meta did not specify the exact amount of the fine, it described it as “substantial,” but withheld further details about the content in question.
The company added, “Requests from governments to restrict online speech, accompanied by threats to shut down services, have a chilling effect on people’s ability to express themselves freely.”
Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s leadership, the Turkish government has been intensifying efforts to suppress dissent, particularly on social media. This crackdown intensified following the arrest of prominent opposition leader and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, which sparked protests and led to the blocking of platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook.
According to the Media and Law Studies Association, over 700 individual X accounts—many belonging to journalists, media organizations, civil society groups, and student organizations—were blocked. X has announced plans to challenge these actions.
In addition, several individuals have been arrested for social media posts that authorities have interpreted as supporting the protests.
