Some sanctions, including advertising bans, were imposed on X, which has more than 540 million users in the world, for not fulfilling its legal responsibilities in Turkey. However, X disregarded the rules by not reacting to the sanctions. If X does not provide what is required of him, legal sanctions will be applied.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PLATFORMS
The legal obligations of social network providers in Turkey are regulated by the additional fourth article of the Law No. 5651 dated 4.5.2007 on the Regulation of Publications Made on the Internet and Combating Crimes Committed through These Publications and the Procedures and Principles on Social Network Providers. With these regulations, obligations such as determining and notifying representatives in Turkey, making reports, combating illegal content, and providing differentiated services specific to children have been imposed on social network providers in Turkey.
X VIOLATED THE RULES
The social network provider X – formerly Twitter – has failed to comply with its legal obligations since the entry into force of these regulations. X insists on not complying with the law by not taking the necessary steps within the specified time period. X, who was first fined 10 million TL and then 30 million TL for not fulfilling his legal obligations, did not pay these administrative fines and also resisted the obligation to determine and notify a representative, the quality of which was strengthened with the new regulation.
ADVERTISING IS PROHIBITED
In this context, real or legal persons who are taxpayers resident in Turkey are prohibited from advertising on X due to failure to fulfill their obligation to designate and notify a representative. Despite all these sanctions, X continues to fail to fulfill its obligations under the legislation. Because it does not comply with the Judge’s decisions established within the scope of Law No. 5651; He is reluctant to comply with the decisions made by the judgeships.
USERS’ INFORMATION IS IN DANGER
In particular, the care and speed shown by .
However, X’s attitude towards complying with Law No. 5651 was in sharp contrast to the rapid actions he took towards the Digital Services Law; This situation raises concerns about the social network provider’s compliance with the legislation; It has also brought into question X’s commitments to the fundamental rights and freedoms of users in Turkey, such as data security and freedom of expression.
IF IT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE RULES, THE BANDWIDTH WILL BE REDUCED
Ensuring full compliance with Law No. 5651 is not only a legal obligation, but also an indicator of the importance X shows to Turkish citizens while continuing its activities in Turkey. Therefore, X is required to resolve the inconsistencies in its compliance efforts and comply with Law No. 5651 immediately. At this point, the next stage of sanctions is to restrict the social network provider’s internet traffic bandwidth by up to ninety percent.
As with other social network providers, all necessary assistance and guidance will continue to be provided so that X can fully fulfill its legal obligations. Immediate action by X and progress in this area are essential to avoid legal sanctions.
