Turkey fines Meta for refusing to suspend protest-linked accounts

Facebook parent Meta on Tuesday said it was fined a "substantial amount" in Turkey for failing to comply with government orders to suspend accounts linked to widespread protests following the detention of the opposition mayor of Istanbul. "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," it added. Since March 19, Turkey has been gripped by massive anti-government protests following the arrest of Istanbul's opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, the biggest political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The protests have been met with a sharp crackdown, prompting opposition leader Ozgur Ozel to call for a boycott of businesses allegedly close to Erdogan's government.