Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is working to use a new law regulating social media to constrain the remaining space for dissent on the internet.

On July 29, 2020, the Turkish parliament updated its law governing social media known as Internet Law No. 5651 that updated its regulation of social media. The most notorious part of the law requires social media companies to appoint a representative to Turkey who will respond to requests from the authorities to remove or moderate content on their platforms.

Dr. Asli Telli, a research fellow at the University of Siegen, explained that the recent update to Internet Law No. 5651 was simply a continuation of creeping government control over the internet inside Turkey. The defining moment that saw these efforts increase according to Telli was the aftermath of the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

“The impact of this on digital rights and freedoms was very costly and devastating for the whole society, especially digital rights defenders and civil society,” Telli told Turkey Abroad.