Meta announced it had been hit with a "substantial" fine for refusing to comply with Turkish government demands to restrict content on Facebook and Instagram.
Turkish government tried to suspend social media accounts sharing information on the widespread protests following the arrest of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s main political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
"We pushed back on requests from the Turkish government to restrict content that is clearly in the public interest, and have been fined by them as a consequence," Meta spokesperson said, declining to identify the scale of the fine.
"Government requests to restrict speech online alongside threats to shut down online services are severe and have a chilling effect on people’s ability to express themselves," Meta added in statement.
In 2024 Meta received 5,677 requests from Turkish authorities to remove content, 4,199 of which came from Türkiye's communications authority, Meta's transparency report said.
Meta heeded 40 percent of the requests, the report said.
The rights groups and journalists’ organisations also call on the Turkish government to cease pressuring online platforms to block content.
"Rather than simply accepting such blocking orders, we urge platforms to take all steps possible to limit their scope and duration, including by challenging their legality in court. Platforms should also be transparent towards affected users and the broader public about government requests for censorship and measures taken in response; and take all possible steps to maintain platform access in the event of shutdowns or throttling,"- their statement reads.
Plarform X issued a statement according to which it objected to ‘multiple court orders [...] to block over 700 accounts’, including those of news organisations, journalists, and political figures. On 26 March, X announced that they filed an individual application before the Constitutional Court challenging an order by Türkiye's Information Technologies Authority to block 126 accounts.
In a move that could significantly boost India's artificial intelligence landscape, tech leaders OpenAI and Meta Platforms have engaged in separate discussions with Reliance Industries, according to a report by The Information.
Meta and the Internet Society have launched the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative, a new project aimed at expanding affordable internet connections worldwide.
Meta confirmed to CNBC that an error on Instagram is causing some users’ Reels feeds to display violent and sexually explicit videos that would not normally be recommended by the platform’s algorithms. The company stated it is actively working to resolve the issue and apologized for the mistake.
According to a report by The Information, Meta Platforms is in discussions to build a new data center campus dedicated to its artificial intelligence projects, with potential costs exceeding $200 billion.
Menlo Park, CA, February 17, 2025 – Newly unsealed court documents from the case Kadrey v. Meta shed light on internal discussions among Meta employees about the use of copyrighted materials to train the company’s artificial intelligence models.
The Bulgarian government, headed by Rosen Zhelyazkov, overcame a no-confidence vote initiated over its foreign policy.
Iran and Afghanistan are working to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties as the Taliban seeks greater engagement with the United States. The discussions focus on trade, security, and regional stability, highlighting shifting alliances in the region amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Asian stock markets experienced a significant decline on Thursday following the announcement by US President Donald Trump of new reciprocal tariffs on several US trade partners. The tariffs, which range from 10% to 50%, were announced by Trump on April 2, a day he referred to as “Liberation Day.”
The inaugural Samarkand International Climate Forum will kick off on 4th April at the Silk Road Samarkand Congress Center in Uzbekistan. The high-profile forum will be held under the theme "Central Asia Facing Global Climate Challenges: Consolidation for Shared Prosperity."
TikTok’s fate in the United States is once again hanging in the balance, as a looming deadline threatens to force a sale—or trigger a nationwide ban—amid a flurry of last-minute bids and high-stakes political maneuvering.
Aid groups in Myanmar’s worst-hit areas urgently need shelter, food, and water after a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake killed over 2,700 people. Rescue efforts face challenges due to ongoing civil war, damaged infrastructure, and restricted aid access, with the toll expected to rise.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
The Armenian armed forces attempted three reconnaissance drone flights over Azerbaijan Army positions near Gerenzur, but all were successfully intercepted. Meanwhile, Armenian units repeatedly fired on Azerbaijani positions from multiple regions, escalating tensions in the area.
Apple marked its 49th anniversary by reaching a market capitalization of $3.3 trillion. Despite recent tech stock volatility, Apple's shares surged 28% in 2024.
The British driver dismissed rumors about losing faith in the team, emphasizing that success will take time as he adjusts to a new environment in his first season with Ferrari.
The Bulgarian government, headed by Rosen Zhelyazkov, overcame a no-confidence vote initiated over its foreign policy.
TikTok’s fate in the United States is once again hanging in the balance, as a looming deadline threatens to force a sale—or trigger a nationwide ban—amid a flurry of last-minute bids and high-stakes political maneuvering.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has cautioned that President Trump’s new tariffs will harm the economies of NATO allies, warning of broader consequences for both the U.S. and its transatlantic partners.
UK set to host 2035 Women’s World Cup as FIFA confirms sole bid. The joint bid from England, Scotland, Wales & NI stands uncontested, marking a major milestone for women’s football. Final approval pending, but preparations for a historic event are underway.
The Bulgarian government, headed by Rosen Zhelyazkov, overcame a no-confidence vote initiated over its foreign policy.
Iran and Afghanistan are working to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties as the Taliban seeks greater engagement with the United States. The discussions focus on trade, security, and regional stability, highlighting shifting alliances in the region amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Asian stock markets experienced a significant decline on Thursday following the announcement by US President Donald Trump of new reciprocal tariffs on several US trade partners. The tariffs, which range from 10% to 50%, were announced by Trump on April 2, a day he referred to as “Liberation Day.”
The inaugural Samarkand International Climate Forum will kick off on 4th April at the Silk Road Samarkand Congress Center in Uzbekistan. The high-profile forum will be held under the theme "Central Asia Facing Global Climate Challenges: Consolidation for Shared Prosperity."
TikTok’s fate in the United States is once again hanging in the balance, as a looming deadline threatens to force a sale—or trigger a nationwide ban—amid a flurry of last-minute bids and high-stakes political maneuvering.
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