Meta is in hot water with the Turkish government after refusing to comply with content censorship demands on Facebook and Instagram.
Following protests across Turkey, the government began clamping down on critical opposition voices online. Now Meta, parent company to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, has been hit with a “substantial” fine for pushing back against those restrictions.
The technology giant confirmed the fine in a statement but did not disclose the amount. “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. The company also warned that such actions by governments severely affect free speech. “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.”
Turkey has a long history of keeping a very tight grip on social media whenever there’s civil unrest. Throughout the last decade, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook have faced temporary bans and even legal actions against them when they host content criticizing the government. The Meta stance against compliance is part of its usual modus operandi in cases of government censorship requests from all over the world, where it usually weighs the public interest. However, this sets it against a number of administrations, and the newest fine joins the continuous number of legal and regulatory hurdles for the company.
This move comes amid broader changes at Meta. Earlier this year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that independent fact-checkers on both Facebook and Instagram would be scrapped. According to Zuckerberg, the old system was “too politically biased” and did more harm than good. “We’re going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with community notes similar to X, starting in the US,” he said in a video post. He followed this by claiming fact-checkers have “destroyed more trust than they have created,” adding that this new approach will be more transparent and community-driven. The transition to this new system will roll out in phases over the coming months.
While many users have embraced Meta’s stance on censorship and fact-checking, others worry removing independent verification opens a door for misinformation. Social media has for long grappled with how to balance free speech against the control of misinformation; decisions made this week reflect an ongoing shift in how the company approaches content moderation. It also reflects a greater trend of government control of digital platforms, in which Meta had declined to comply with censorship demands from Turkey’s government.
This fine brings into question how long it will be able to resist increased regulatory pressure from around the world. In fact, this might set a precedent for social media companies’ responses to calls for censorship over sensitive political situations, as other governments will be keenly watching.
More and more, governments around the world want to exert control over social media, and this fine against Meta is proof of that.
Should social platforms give in to the demand for censorship or fight to protect free speech? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Continue following us for more updates on technology and social media.
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