TikTok sparks cybersecurity debate in Turkish Parliament

In a rapidly digitalizing world, Türkiye stands among the leading nations in social media usage. Amid this digital boom, Türkiye’s Parliament convened to address the growing concerns about the power of social media platforms – particularly in the wake of recent bans on Instagram and a potential ban on TikTok.

Türkiye’s battles with social media: Instagram and Roblox

• Instagram’s temporary closure and the ban on the Roblox gaming platform were key topics of discussion. Huseyin Yayman, Chair of the TBMM Digital Platforms Commission defended these actions, stating they were legal measures aimed at ensuring adherence to national laws, similar to compliance expectations in cities like Berlin, Paris, London and Washington.
• Yayman also expressed approval of Instagram’s reopening but stressed the importance of adhering to local court rulings, such as the one issued by an Adana court that mandated the Roblox ban.

Which platforms are banned in Türkiye?

• Instagram, which has 58 million users in Türkiye, was blocked by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) due to “non-compliance with catalog crimes” on Aug. 2. Once Meta agreed to Türkiye’s conditions, Instagram reopened on Aug. 10, yet, the 8-day ban resulted in an estimated loss of ₺17.1 billion to the Turkish economy.

• This was followed by a ban on Roblox on Aug. 7, a popular gaming platform among youth, with Türkiye ranking fifth worldwide in Roblox player numbers. Roblox ban was primarily motivated by reports of inappropriate sexual content on the platform, according to a Directorate of Communications official.

• (BTK) has issued over a thousand warnings to the messaging app Telegram, which has 8 million active users in the country, citing the presence of illegal content such as drug trafficking, prostitution, gambling, and pedophilia. Despite multiple notifications to Telegram’s headquarters in the U.K., there has been no response, raising the possibility of a ban in Türkiye.

How does social media negatively affect masses?

• Digital addiction: Yayman warned of the destructive potential of social media, arguing that its negative impacts outweigh its constructive uses. He underscored the dangers of digital addiction, particularly among youth, and noted the risk of it becoming a national security issue.
• Lack of transparency: The commission also revisited discussions with social media platform representatives, with Yayman criticizing their lack of transparency regarding advertising revenues and tax contributions, emphasizing the need to address the commercial aspects of social media.

Zoom in: TikTok’s security risks

• Commission Vice Chair Nazım Elmas highlighted security concerns surrounding TikTok, noting that the app is banned on work phones in many European countries because of cyber security risks.

• Previously, Yayman and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) MP from Hatay, also voiced strong criticism against TikTok. Yayman further described TikTok as “advocating for the devil,” expressing his disapproval of the platform’s content and its perceived impact on societal values.

The TikTok issue is a national security matter for Türkiye. The content on the platform is so bizarre and disconnected from reality that it cannot be endorsed. The decision to block or restrict access to TikTok falls under the purview of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), not the committee,

Huseyin Yayman