Türkiye Fines Meta 5M TL Over Unverified Property and Vehicle Listings

By Bosphorus News Economy Desk

Türkiye's Trade Ministry fined Meta Platforms İstanbul Bilişim Hizmetleri Limited Şirketi 5 million Turkish liras over property and vehicle listings on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp that violated Electronic Listing Verification System (EİDS) rules, the ministry announced on June 13.

The ministry said identity and authorization checks had become mandatory for all online property and vehicle listings through EİDS, a system designed to curb fake listings, listing pollution, speculative price increases and consumer losses.

The rule had already been applied to online listing platforms integrated into the EİDS system. The June 13 statement makes clear that the same verification perimeter also covers social media and messaging platforms where property and vehicle listings are shared.

The ministry said the regulation applies to all electronic listings, including Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and that listings on those platforms are being monitored.

Meta's Türkiye unit was fined after property and vehicle listings that breached EİDS rules were published on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, the ministry said.

The decision moves the verified-listing regime beyond traditional classified websites and into the social media advertising space, where real estate and vehicle offers often circulate through posts, stories, groups and direct communication channels.

The ministry also warned real estate agencies and vehicle dealers that they should share only links to EİDS-verified listings on social media platforms. Any other post carrying the character of a property or vehicle listing could expose businesses to administrative sanctions.

Consumers were also urged not to rely on unverified property and vehicle listings on social media or messaging applications. The ministry pointed to risks including fake property or vehicle offers, listings posted by unauthorized people and advance-payment fraud.

The fine signals a wider enforcement phase for Türkiye's digital listing rules. EİDS is no longer limited to major listing websites; the ministry is treating social platforms and messaging channels as part of the same market when they are used to advertise homes, land, cars or other vehicles.

***Sources: Türkiye Trade Ministry, Bosphorus News review.