Meta said on Wednesday it has been hit with a heavy fine for refusing to comply with demands from the Turkish government to limit content on Facebook and Instagram.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been trying to restrict opposition voices online in the wake of widespread protests that erupted after the detention of the mayor of Istanbul, a key rival to the longstanding leader.
“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,” Meta said in a statement.
The social media giant did not reveal the size of the financial penalty, other than describing it as “substantial,” and also did not provide any more details about the content it allegedly failed to restrict.
“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,” Meta said.
In recent years, Ankara has increasingly moved to rein in social media companies.
After protests erupted in the wake of the arrest last month of opposition Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, many social media platforms, including X, Instagram, and Facebook, were blocked by the regime.
More than 700 individual X accounts, including those belonging to journalists, media outlets, civil society organizations, and student groups, were blocked, according to the Media and Law Studies Association.
“We look forward to defending these principles through the legal system. X will always defend freedom of speech everywhere we operate.”
The fines come on the heels of huge protests against the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government after it clamped down on dissent.
On March 23, an Istanbul court jailed Imamoglu, a leading member of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), pending trial on corruption charges.
After his court appearance, Imamoglu, who denies all charges against him, urged supporters to stage demonstrations across Turkey.
Erdogan has warned that “disturbances of public order” would not be tolerated, in reference to ongoing protests in multiple cities held in support of his rival.
“Those seeking solutions outside democracy, the law, and legitimate channels have always been disappointed,” Erdogan told supporters on March 22.
“There is no privileged minority ... who is free to commit crimes.”
Since March 19, when Imamoglu was first detained by authorities, protests of varying sizes have been held across the country despite a government ban on large public gatherings.
In some cases, police have used water cannons and pepper spray to disperse crowds, although no serious injuries have been reported so far.
“Now there are people, especially young people, protesting all over the country.”
No presidential election is scheduled until 2028, but Erdogan, who has held the post since 2014, could call it early to avoid hitting the two-term limit if he decides to run again.
Before becoming president, the 71-year-old AKP leader had been prime minister of the NATO member state for 11 years.
