Social media users from Turkey with Twitter and Instagram accounts have been blocked from following the accounts of alcoholic beverage companies. When they want to follow the accounts of alcoholic beverage companies, they are faced with the message that they are not authorised to perform this action in their region.
According to a global practice started in 2013 on Twitter, the users were required to be older than 18 and enter the date of birth to be able to follow the accounts of alcoholic beverage companies. The users in Turkey are not authorised to follow the accounts of alcoholic beverage companies regardless of asking their dates of birth and ages.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkey had previously approved a controversial legislation to restrict the promotion, sale and advertising of alcohol by claiming that the ban on alcohol would protect the society, particularly young people, from harmful effects, despite the critics that it was a new step to impose Islamic agenda of the AKP and the attempt to redesign the society based on Islamıc beliefs rather than secular values.
THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT IS IN THE LEAD IN TWITTER BANS
In its Transparency Report, Twitter has announced that Turkey leads the way among the countries that requested the removal of the user accounts. According to the report, there have been many requests to be removed 3,076 accounts from Turkey in last six months. It was stated that 2,232 of these requests were made by government agencies, police, and other institutions and entities, while 844 of the given requests were made through the courts. 8,417 user accounts were reported to Twitter regarding the messages shared on social media. In the report, it was stated that 290 user accounts have been removed and 489 twitter messages have been deleted due process of the requests.
According to Twitter’s report, while a total of 13.022 user accounts were requested to be banned around the world, it was emphasised that the number of requests for removal of the accounts from Turkey has experienced a record increase.
