Turkey's data protection authority fined WhatsApp nearly €200,000 for violating privacy rules, reports revealed on Friday.
The Facebook-owned messaging platform had "not clearly stated" how it would process its users' data and for what purpose.
WhatsApp has to take "the necessary measures to avoid processing personal data contrary to the law", the Turkish Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK) said, adding that it had fined the app 1,950,000 Turkish lira (€197,000) and ordered the app to bring its privacy policy in line with Turkey's laws.
The Turkish authority affirmed that it had sanctioned WhatsApp because it no longer offered users "free will".
"Users are obliged to give their consent to the contract as a whole," the authority said in a statement.
Notably, the sanction comes just one day after WhatsApp was fined a record 225 mln euro by Ireland's data privacy watchdog for breaking strict EU regulations.
E.U. privacy watchdog the European Data Protection Board said it had given several pointers to the Irish agency in July to address criticism from its peers for taking too long to decide in cases involving tech giants and for not fining them enough for any breaches.
It added that a WhatsApp fine should take into account Facebook’s turnover, noting that the company should be given three months instead of six months to comply.
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