Türkiye’s competition regulator has opened an investigation into Spotify’s playlists and market conduct.
Spotify is under formal investigation in Türkiye, with authorities examining the platform’s role in both anti-competitive practices and hosting user-generated playlists accused of insulting religious and national values.
As reported by Digital Music News, Türkiye’s Competition Authority (Rekabet Kurumu) announced on Friday that it has launched an investigation into Spotify. The inquiry focuses on whether the company’s local strategies may have unfairly impacted the music industry, especially in how artists are promoted and royalties are distributed.
The statement from the authority said it would investigate whether Spotify has offered preferential visibility to some artists over others and if its licensing arrangements have affected how royalties are shared.
The timing of the announcement aligns with a public statement by Dr Batuhan Mumcu, the country’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Mumcu criticised Spotify’s handling of certain playlists, claiming they insult religious beliefs and target political figures.
“Spotify persistently refuses to take the necessary steps despite all our previous warnings. Content that targets our religious and national values and insults the beliefs of our society has not been corrected in any way; discrimination and rights violations against our artists have been ignored.”
He went on to state that “This irresponsibility and lack of oversight, which disregards the sensitivities of our society, has now become a legal matter.”
Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı olarak, uzun süredir #Spotify platformunda yayımlanan içerikleri yakından takip ediyor; hem kamuoyunun hem de sanat dünyamızın hassasiyetlerini gözeterek ve gerekli uyarıları kurumlarımız aracılığıyla muhatabına ileterek süreci yürütüyoruz.
Ancak… pic.twitter.com/OMwxXQizVY
— Dr. Batuhan Mumcu (@BatuhanMUMCU) July 4, 2025
As Music Ally further explains, the playlists in question were created by Spotify users, not the company itself, but they included titles referencing Prophet Mohammed and Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Some also mocked long-denied claims about the use of gold-plated toilets in the presidential palace.
In response, Spotify issued a statement confirming its cooperation with the authorities and its long-standing compliance with local law since its launch in Türkiye in 2013.
“We are cooperating with the investigation, are actively seeking to understand it, and will work toward a swift, constructive resolution with the Turkish Competition Authority.”
The company also highlighted its economic contribution, saying that in 2024 alone, it paid over 2 billion Turkish lira to the local music sector. It added that Spotify has “played a key role in increasing [Turkish artists’] global royalty revenues.”
This case is not just about content but also about platform power, fairness in music promotion, and how global companies operate under local expectations. The outcome may have broader implications for streaming platforms operating in markets where regulation and cultural values are tightly linked.