BOMB CLAIM: Facebook Opposed the Social Media Law

Following the Social Media Law, which came into force on October 1, 2020, statements are expected from companies with more than 1 million users in our country. Social media providers, who are required by law to have a representative and to announce this, will be subject to a series of sanctions if they do not designate a representative. 

IT Law Expert Prof. Dr. According to the statement made by Yaman Akdeniz on his Twitter account, Facebook rejected the obligation to have a representative, which is the most basic requirement of the law. According to Akdeniz, Facebook has decided not to have a representative in our country. 

If the allegations are true, the sanctions awaiting Facebook in Turkey are as follows:

• November 2020: 10 million TL fine,
• December 2020: 30 million TL fine, 
• January 2021: Advertising ban penalty,
• April 2021: Reducing bandwidth by 50%, 
• May 2021: Reduce bandwidth by 90%

The above sanctions are applied respectively during the period when companies do not appoint a representative in accordance with the Social Media Law. The representative in question can be a person, provided that he is a Turkish citizen, or a company, provided that he is based in Türkiye. If this decision of Facebook is really correct and it continues not to appoint representatives fine of first 10, then 30 million TL will pay. 

If Facebook still does not have a representative after the fines, it will be in Turkey in January 2021 right to operate advertising will lose, which means cutting off Facebook's main source of income. Subsequently, the bandwidth is reduced to 50% in April 2021, and immediately afterwards to 90% in May.

If Facebook does not appoint a Türkiye representative at the end of the process, the platform is not blocked, but 90% of the time slows down, advertising activities cannot be done. This creates a situation that is equivalent to Facebook not being able to provide service in our country. 

Except Facebook Twitter, TikTok and no representation statement has been made by any other platform with more than 1 million users. The deadline for all social network providers started on October 1, and those who do not appoint a representative by November 1 face a fine of 10 million TL each. We will continue to inform you as the details become clear.