Social media networks, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube, were each handed TL 30 million ($3.83 million) fines Thursday for failing to appoint a representative for Turkey, as required by the new law. The fine is the second sanction following TL 10 million fines delivered on Nov. 4.
A Bloomberg report cited a government official’s statements on the latest fines.
Appointing a representative in Turkey came under the amendment of the law, which took effect on Oct. 1. The new rule covers social media companies which have a daily access of more than 1 million from Turkey.
The companies had already been notified of the five stages of penalties for social network providers who fail to appoint a representative in Turkey.
In case they again do not comply, Turkish firms will be banned from advertising with them.
If they fail to fulfill the obligations within three months after the advertising ban, the companies will have their internet bandwidth slashed by 50%, and later 90% if they do not comply within a month of the previous sanction.
Parliament initially ratified the social media regulation bill in July, compelling platforms to comply with conditions or face fines and bandwidth reduction.
The bill sets a formal definition of social media providers and aims to designate a responsible representative for investigations and legal proceedings relating to offenses on platforms.
It defines real or legal entities that allow users to create, monitor or share online content such as text, visual content, voice recordings and locations for social interaction as social network providers.
