Turkey fines Meta for refusing to restrict Facebook, Instagram over Imamoglu protests
Unlike X, which has suspended social media accounts at the request of the Turkish government, Meta says it has faced heavy fines in Turkey for refusing to do so.
ANKARA — Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Threads, said Wednesday it faced heavy fines for refusing to comply with the Turkish government's restriction requests amid protests over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and presidential contender of his main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was arrested on March 19 on corruption charges. Government critics believe the arrest was politically motivated and have led mass protests across the country since.
“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, according to the Associated Press.
The company stopped short of specifying which agency imposed the fines or their exact amount but described them as “substantial.”
“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 added.
Since Imamoglu’s detention on March 19, Turkish authorities have repeatedly slowed down internet access, particularly to social media websites including Facebook, X and TikTok, in an effort to prevent the protests from growing further, according to the UK-based internet watchdog Netblocks. X, owned by Elon Musk, suspended dozens of accounts, reportedly at the request of Turkish authorities.
Turkey's Communication Technologies Authority also blocked more than 120 accounts on X for allegedly sharing provocative posts during the protests, the platform announced. While X pledged to appeal the move in Turkey's constitutional court, rights groups criticized the platform for not reinstating the accounts blocked by Turkish authorities.
Calls for consumer strike in Turkey
Meanwhile, the main opposition CHP called for a boycott of certain companies for their alleged ties to the government. Access to a website featuring a list of about 35 brands, including a coffee chain and pro-government news networks, was also briefly blocked last week, Netblocks said.
Many dissidents in the country are currently supporting the boycott while university students who have been leading the mass protests in Turkey declared Wednesday as an economic boycott day.
In solidarity, some shopkeepers in Istanbul and Ankara kept their doors closed. While some cafes in Ankara opened, they urged customers to bring their own food and drinks.
As Turkey is on a nine-day official holiday for Eid and some families have left the major cities, it is unclear how effective the consumer strike has been as of this writing, but Turkish officials have lashed out over the call.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared a video on X of himself shopping at a grocery store, captioned, “Boycott calls are a direct betrayal of our country's and nation's hard work.”
Accusing boycott supporters of attempting to weaken the government, Trade Minister Omer Bolat said the calls were an attempt to sabotage the economy.
“If you have any shopping plans for tomorrow or the day after, or in the coming days, we strongly encourage you to make your purchases … today," Bolat told Turkey’s public broadcaster TRT.
The TRT itself also came under scrutiny for sacking actor Aybuke Pusat, who supported the boycott call on social media. TRT announced Pusat has been removed from the cast of a TV series she was starring in. A TRT screenwriter who supported Pusat was also dismissed.
A documentary by Ali Aydin, a screenwriter who supported Pusat, was removed from TRT's digital platform as well after Aydin expressed support for Pusat, independent news site T-24 reported.
Turkish authorities have detained more than 1,000 people since the protests began after Imamoglu's arrest.
Muse, Trevor Noah cancel shows
Meanwhile, comedian Trevor Noah and rock band Muse have canceled their upcoming shows in Istanbul on the request of fans in Turkey after the events’ organizer criticized boycott supporters.
Abdulkadir Ozkan, owner of DBL Entertainment, described the boycott calls as “treason” earlier this week. Following his statement, thousands of social media users called for the cancellation of the events organized by his company.
“After careful consideration and hearing the feedback from our fans whilst fully respecting their concerns, our show in Istanbul will be now postponed until 2026 so we can ensure DBL Entertainment will not be involved,” Muse posted on X.
Boycott supporters also want the Robbie Williams concert set for June 11 called off.
