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Turkey’s Constitutional Court on Friday ruled a key provision of a controversial law regulating social media platforms unconstitutional.

The court⁣ found that the ⁤section requiring social media companies to have legal representatives‍ within Turkey violated freedom ​of expression, ⁤according to a statement released by the court. The challenged ⁤provision, enacted in 2020, allowed authorities to fine platforms millions⁢ of lira for failing to comply⁢ with content⁢ removal requests and to block access to sites altogether.

The ruling marks a significant victory for digital ​rights advocates who have long argued the ⁣law stifled online dissent. They contended ‌the requirement for local​ representation would‍ give the Turkish government greater control over online content and potentially⁢ lead to censorship.

“This is a crucial step towards protecting ⁤freedom of expression online in Turkey,” said kerem‍ Altıparmak, a digital rights lawyer. “The law was a tool for systematic censorship, and this ruling weakens that tool considerably.”

The government initially defended the‌ law as necessary to combat disinformation and protect citizens from‌ harmful content. However, critics pointed to its broad scope and the lack of judicial oversight in content removal requests.

The Constitutional Court’s decision doesn’t invalidate the entire law,but it does strike down a central component. It remains to be seen how⁤ the government will respond and whether ‌it will attempt to amend the legislation.‍ social media platforms ‍like YouTube, Twitter (now X), and Facebook have previously established legal entities in Turkey to avoid penalties under the law.

The ruling comes amid growing concerns about restrictions on internet freedom in Turkey. Several ⁤journalists and activists have faced legal action for their online posts, and access ⁢to certain websites and social media platforms has been intermittently blocked.

• Background: The ‍2020 social media law was passed following concerns about the spread of misinformation ‌during local ⁤elections.
• The Ruling: The Constitutional court ruled the requirement for legal representation was unconstitutional.
• Impact: The decision weakens the government’s ability to directly control social⁣ media⁢ platforms.