Turkey is preparing to implement EU-style regulations to curb the dominance of major tech companies, aligning its approach with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The move seeks to promote fair competition and transparency but risks escalating tensions with the United States, where most of these tech giants are headquartered.
A Regulatory Shift Towards Fair Competition
According to Bloomberg, the proposed Turkish regulations focus on ensuring greater interoperability among digital platforms, improving data portability, and enhancing user control over personal information. These measures closely mirror the DMA, which the EU began enforcing in March 2024 to challenge the dominance of “gatekeeper” companies like Alphabet, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance.
Under Turkey’s planned framework, tech platforms would be restricted from processing user data without explicit consent and could face tighter limitations on how that data is used for commercial purposes.
Additionally, companies would be required to provide transparent information to commercial users—such as advertisers and developers—regarding service terms, performance metrics, and pricing structures.
The aim is to promote transparency and prevent anti-competitive practices that favor established players over emerging businesses.
Echoes of the EU’s Digital Playbook
Turkey’s strategy closely aligns with the regulatory template laid out by the EU’s DMA, which mandates significant changes for tech firms.
These include banning self-preferencing in digital marketplaces, enabling third-party payment systems, and ensuring that core services like search engines or app stores provide fair access to competitors.
For instance, Alphabet has already adjusted its operations in Europe by introducing choice screens for search and browser options and improving visibility for competing services.
Meanwhile, Meta lets EU users separate Facebook, Instagram, Messenger accounts to comply with upcoming EU regulations.
Turkey’s proposed regulations are likely to demand similar corporate adjustments, potentially reshaping how major platforms operate within the country.
The current measures taken by Big Tech companies have led the European Commission to suspend decisions on major investigations into Apple, Google, and Meta under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), initiating a detailed review of its current enforcement strategy.
Potential Flashpoint with U.S. Interests
While Turkey’s approach aligns with global trends toward regulating big tech, it also risks triggering tensions with the United States.
American companies, which dominate the global digital market, have previously voiced concerns about being disproportionately targeted by such regulations.
In February, U.S. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan raised concerns about the EU’s DMA and Digital Services Act (DSA), suggesting they could unfairly disadvantage U.S.-based firms while inadvertently benefiting competitors from other regions, including China.
Such apprehensions are likely to extend to Turkey’s regulations, especially if American tech companies perceive them as discriminatory or burdensome.
However, EU officials have consistently defended the neutrality of their framework, emphasizing that the DMA applies equally to all qualifying companies, regardless of their country of origin.
Turkey’s Ongoing Scrutiny of Digital Markets
Turkey’s regulatory ambitions are not new. In December 2024, Turkey’s competition authority fined Alphabet Inc.’s Google approximately $75 million for abusing its dominant position in the ad server services market.
More recently, the Turkish Competition Board launched investigations into major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video over concerns about potential violations of competition laws within the digital entertainment sector.
These actions highlight Turkey’s determination to establish stronger regulatory controls over the digital sector.
By aligning its regulations with the EU’s framework, Turkey is signaling its intent to create a digital environment that prioritizes competition and consumer protection.
U.S. Startup Sector Offers a Nuanced Perspective
While concerns about Turkey’s regulations are prominent, some voices in the U.S. see potential benefits in the broader regulatory shift.
Y Combinator, a leading startup accelerator, just urged the U.S. government to publicly support the DMA.
In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Y Combinator last week argued that unchecked monopolistic behavior by major tech firms poses risks to innovation, particularly in emerging sectors like artificial intelligence and digital services.
“Far from being a ‘Europe vs. America’ issue, the DMA’s pro-competition framework aligns with core American antitrust principles by decentralizing market power and opening doors for entrepreneurship,” Y Combinator stated.
The accelerator also cited specific examples of anti-competitive behavior, such as Apple’s restrictive policies on its iMessage platform and Google’s alleged favoring of its own services in search results.
Y Combinator argues that without enforceable neutrality rules, dominant platforms would continue to restrict competition, ultimately stifling innovation.
Compliance Risks for Tech Firms
The road to compliance with Turkey’s proposed regulations may prove complex for global tech companies.
Under the EU’s DMA, non-compliance can result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s global annual sales. While the European Commission has initially opted for modest penalties to encourage compliance, the long-term consequences of regulatory breaches could be more severe.
Turkey’s regulators could adopt a similar approach, emphasizing compliance while using financial penalties as a deterrent. However, critics argue that such measures, if too stringent, could deter investment and innovation within the country’s digital sector.
