Facebook, Twitter, other social media companies fined in Turkey

The Turkish government issued Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other major platforms fines of $1.18 million each for failing to comply with a new social media law.
In this picture taken on September 30, 2020 shows logos of social networking websites displayed on a mobile phone's screen in Istanbul. - Turkey on Thursday starts life under a new social media law that threatens to erase the local presence of Facebook and Twitter should they fail to take down contentious posts.The new legislation was pushed through by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP party and follows the government's crackdown on opposition newspapers and television channels. (Photo by Ozan KOS
This picture taken on Sept, 30, 2020 shows logos of social networking websites displayed on a mobile phone's screen in Istanbul. - OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images
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Diego Cupolo
@diegocupolo

ISTANBUL — The Turkish government imposed financial penalties on major social media platforms Tuesday after the companies did not comply with a controversial new law that opponents say would limit free speech online if followed.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube were each fined 10 million Turkish liras, about $1.18 million, for failing to appoint local representatives in Turkey per legislation passed in July requiring the platforms to comply with content removal requests and store user data within the country, among other measures.

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