Regulation for social media on agenda amid recent cases

ANKARA

The parliament’s digital media commission is currently working on a bill to regulate and monitor the content produced by high-profile accounts on social media, with several platforms facing potential bans, the commission head has said. 

Amid allegations of money laundering and tax evasion targeting numerous influencers, the recent detention of a woman for posting explicit content on TikTok has brought legal regulations for social media platforms into the spotlight. 

“There is a comprehensive legislative preparation in the parliament, focusing on investigating content and recording and taxing the incomes of social media influencers, including those self-proclaimed as such, especially on platforms such as TikTok, where the nature of their 'influence' remains elusive and their activities unclear,” Hüseyin Yayman told İhlas News Agency. 

Sanctions for platforms, notably for TikTok, including the cancellation of their licenses, leading to the blocking of access in the country, are being considered, the commission head announced. 

"As the digital platforms commission, we are actively engaged in a comprehensive study on all digital platforms involving measures such as bandwidth reduction, broadcasting bans, advertising prohibitions, and, if necessary, license cancellations." 

TikTok's representative for Türkiye and Eurasia, Emir Gelen, is scheduled to make a presentation on Dec. 7 in response to the commission's summons to the parliament to address these allegations, Yayman also noted. 

In addressing the recent surge in obscene content and the financial gains derived from such content, Yayman argued that these materials also pose a moral problem on a platform accessible to both children and families. 

"Some trends, especially those promoting indecency, on digital platforms such as TikTok, create a moral issue for our nation, our morality, our families and our children. Approving these individuals as if they are doing a commendable job and making donations to them only exacerbates the severity of the situation."