In a written statement, the Competition Board said it ruled
the data-collection requirement should be suspended until the probe is
complete.
"The Competition Board has opened an investigation into
Facebook and WhatsApp and suspended the requirement to share Whatsapp
data," it said.
WhatsApp updated its terms of service last Wednesday,
allowing Facebook and its subsidiaries to collect user data. The deadline for
agreeing to the new terms is Feb. 8.
Rival messaging apps Signal and Telegram have since seen a
sudden increase in demand.
Turkey's government has targeted social media companies with
new restrictions and fines since it passed a law in July it says bolsters local
oversight of the foreign firms. Critics say the law stifles dissent from Turks
who resorted to online platforms after the government tightened its grip on
mainstream media. -Reuters