PARLIAMENT FINALLY AMENDS INTERNET LAW: NEW SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATIONS AND REMOVAL OF CONTENT:

The Amending Law does not introduce a material change in scope of the Internet Law, which already covered social media operators as hosting providers. However, it considerably increases the administrative and judicial fines for Foreign Social Network Providers and obliges them to open communication channels in Turkey.

TURKISH DATA PROTECTION BOARD RECOGNIZES RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN :

The Data Protection Board has recently announced its decision numbered 2020/481 on its website, providing its view on the right to be forgotten. The Board has defined “right to be forgotten” as a request for delisting results displayed on a search engine when an individual’s name and surname is searched therein. The Board has also determined the criteria it will take into account in reviewing cases concerning right to be forgotten requests.

TERMS OF TERMINATION PROHIBITION, MANDATORY UNPAID LEAVE AND SHORT-TERM WORKING EXTENDED YET AGAIN:

The terms of the prohibition on termination of employment contract, mandatory unpaid leave, and the financial aid for employees on mandatory unpaid leave have been extended from 17 August 2020 to 17 September 2020.

Amendments to Turkish Civil Procedure Rules:

PARLIAMENT BROADENS PRESIDENT’S AUTHORITY TO EXTEND THE TERM OF TERMINATION PROHIBITION UNTIL 30 JUNE 2021:

As the Labour law currently stands, termination prohibition will end on 17 August 2020. However, the extension of the president’s authority to extend the term of the prohibition for almost a year can be interpreted as a sign that the term of termination prohibition and unpaid leave is likely to be extended further.

COMPETITION LAW AMENDED TO FURTHER HARMONIZE IT WITH EU LAW:

The Law Amending the Law on the Protection of Competition was published in the Official Gazette dated 24 June 2020 and numbered 31165 and entered into force on the same day. The preamble of the Amending Law provides that the amendments aim to harmonize the Law on the Protection of Competition numbered 4054 with the European Union laws and to establish a modern competition legislation.

TERMS OF TERMINATION PROHIBITION, MANDATORY UNPAID LEAVE, AND SHORT-TERM WORKING EXTENDED:

The terms of the prohibition on termination of employment contracts, mandatory unpaid leave, and the financial aid for employees on mandatory unpaid leave have been extended for 1 month.

ERSOYBILGEHAN CONTRIBUTES TO THE “CRISIS MANAGEMENT” GUIDE PUBLISHED BY IR GLOBAL:

Our firm has recently contributed to the “Crisis Management: Surviving and thriving in a post-pandemic world” guide published by IR Global.

THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION WITH DATA CONTROLLERS’ REGISTRY HAS BEEN EXTENDED DUE TO COVID-19:

The Data Protection Board has announced that it has extended the deadline for registration with the Data Controllers’ Registry Information System (“VERBIS”) with its decision 2020/482.

WEEKLY REPORTING REQUIREMENT FOR SOME TURKISH BORROWERS IMPOSED BY THE CENTRAL BANK OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY: