(MENAFN) On Wednesday, the Turkish Competition Protection Board announced a hefty fine of 1.2 billion Turkish liras (equivalent to USD37.20 million) imposed on Meta Platforms, following the conclusion of two separate investigations into the company's data-sharing practices across its social media ecosystem encompassing Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads.
This punitive action stems from the Council's scrutiny initiated in December, focusing on potential breaches of competition regulations arising from the integration of Meta's social media platforms, particularly Threads and Instagram. In March, the Council took interim measures against Meta aimed at impeding data exchanges between these platforms. In response, Meta announced the temporary closure of Threads in Turkey as a compliance measure.
The Council's ruling outlined provisions to safeguard user privacy and control over personal data within Meta's platforms. It emphasized that users must provide explicit consent for the merging of personal data across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and must be duly informed about the purposes and implications of such data usage. Additionally, users are granted the flexibility to adjust their privacy settings as needed, facilitated through the "Accounts Center" feature available on the platforms.
This decision underscores the Turkish regulatory authority's commitment to upholding competition principles and protecting consumer interests in the digital realm. By imposing substantial penalties and implementing measures to regulate data sharing, the Council aims to foster a fair and transparent digital environment while holding tech giants accountable for their conduct in handling user data.
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