Meta revealed that the Turkish government has imposed a heavy fine on the company for not yielding to demands to censor content on Facebook and Instagram.
We pushed back on demands from the Turkish government to censor material clearly in the public interest and have been punished for it by them,” Meta added in a statement.
Although the amount of the fine is not yet revealed, the company referred to it as “substantial.” Meta also condemned government attempts to limit online speech, stating that such actions have a chilling effect on free expression.
The repression comes amid heightened tensions in Turkey following the arrest of opposition leader and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19. In reaction to mass protests, authorities have blocked platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
Over 700 X accounts of media outlets, journalists, student groups, civil society, and media organizations were suspended, said the Media and Law Studies Association, prompting X to state it will appeal.
Dozens were also arrested based on social media posts that had been considered supporting the protests as the Turkish government campaigns aggressively to suppress dissent.
