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Under the law, which critics say stifles dissent, social media
companies that do not appoint such representatives are liable
for a series of penalties, including the latest move by the
Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK).
The law allows authorities to remove content from platforms,
rather than blocking access as they did in the past. It has
caused concern as people turn more to online platforms after
Ankara tightened its grip on mainstream media.
The latest decisions in the country's Official Gazette said the
advertising bans went into effect from Tuesday. Twitter, its
live-streaming app Periscope, and image sharing app Pinterest
were not immediately available to comment.
Deputy Transport Minister Omer Fatih Sayan said Twitter and
Pinterest's bandwidth would be cut by 50% in April and by 90% in
May. Twitter said last month it would shut down Periscope by
March due to declining usage.
"We are determined to do whatever is necessary to protect the
data, privacy and rights of our nation," Sayan said on Twitter.
"We will never allow digital fascism and disregard of rules to
prevail in Turkey," he said, echoing tough comments by President
Tayyip Erdogan.
On Monday, Facebook Inc joined other companies in saying it
would appoint a local representative, but added it would
withdraw the person if it faced pressure regarding what is
allowed on its platform.
YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc's Google, said a month ago it
would abide the new law, which Ankara says enhances local
oversight of foreign companies.
The decisions by Facebook, Google and YouTube leaves them "in
serious danger of becoming an instrument of state censorship,"
Milena Buyum, Amnesty International's Turkey Campaigner, wrote
on Twitter. She called on them to say exactly how they would
avoid this.
In previous months Facebook, YouTube and Twitter had faced fines
in Turkey for not complying. Companies that do not abide the law
will ultimately have their bandwidth slashed, essentially
blocking access.
Erdogan said last week that those who control data can establish
"digital dictatorships by disregarding democracy, the law,
rights and freedoms". He vowed to defend what he described as
the country's "cyber homeland".
(Reporting by Can Sezer; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by
Michael Perry and Jonathan Spicer)
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