Türkiye accuses Meta of double standards in handling terrorist content

Türkiye has expressed serious concerns over social media platforms, highlighting issues such as virtual gambling, child abuse, and inappropriate advertising targeted at minors. Türkiye’s firm stance highlights the growing tension between national laws and international tech companies’ practices.

Türkiye against censorship, but…

• Hüseyin Yayman, Chair of the Turkish Grand National Assembly’s (TBMM) Digital Platforms Commission, voiced concerns over Instagram and Roblox during a TGRT live broadcast.
• Yayman accused social media platforms of becoming hotspots for virtual gambling, child abuse, and pedophilia, emphasizing the need for compliance with Türkiye’s laws.
• He stated, “We are against censorship and access bans, but these platforms must respect Turkish regulations.”

Meta’s double standards towards Türkiye

• Türkiye is a significant market for Instagram, with over 60 million users, placing the country fourth globally.
• Yayman highlighted the double standards applied by Meta, noting, “The issue is not just Instagram. They support and broadcast terrorist organizations’ posts, including those from Ismail Haniyeh, and impose bans without justification. We invited them 3 times to comply with our rules, but they did not. The double standards must end.”
• He stressed the importance of adhering to local laws and supported the decisions made by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK).

Instagram’s controversial advertising policies

• Separately, it was revealed that Google and Meta-owned platforms, Instagram and YouTube, were displaying gender-specific ads to users under 18, violating their advertising policies.
• This revelation has led to a backlash, with users expressing frustration over invasive advertising practices. Google responded by reinforcing its ban on ads targeting minors and taking additional measures to prevent policy violations.

What’s more?

As of Aug. 2, users in Türkiye have been unable to access Instagram. 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, according to sports news website Esports.net

• Recent developments suggest that TikTok might also face a ban in Türkiye. Huseyin Yayman stated, “The TikTok issue is a national security matter for Türkiye. While there is no official stance from the committee on TikTok’s closure or restriction, public sentiment suggests a desire for its shutdown.”
• Meta’s Facebook, already under scrutiny, could face similar restrictions. This comes amid Facebook’s recent removal of a T24 news article about Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, citing community standards violations.

What’s next?

• The Turkish Parliament’s Digital Media Committee plans to convene next week to address these issues, focusing on legislative responses and safeguarding user rights without involving Meta or the Information Technologies Authority (BTK) officials in the discussions.