The proposed law that will make social media companies more accountable to local regulations is a “new dark era” of censorship. Turkeish parliament begin on this social media bill today backed by President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party. This is expected to get passed this week.

“Social media is a lifeline… to access news, so this law signals a new dark era of online censorship,” said Tom Porteous, Human Rights Watch deputy programme director. It would damage free speech in Turkey “where an autocracy is being constructed by silencing media and all critical voices”, he added.

Turks are already heavily policed on social media and people have been charged for insulting Erdogan or his ministers.

Critics are apprehensive over such a bill as it would accelerate trend authorities silencing dissent. The law would require foreign social media sites to appoint Turkish-based representatives to have a close eye on the content and includes deadlines for removal. The foreign companies could also face fines and may get accessibility blocked in Turkey, if the companies do not abide the rules.

As majority of country’s mainstream media has come under the government’s control, social media was indeed the only outlet for critical voices in Turkey. This law is being criticized by a UN body as well.

A spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said the draft law “would give the state powerful tools for asserting even more control over the media landscape”.

It “would further undermine the right of people in Turkey to freedom of expression, to obtain information and to participate in public and political life”, said spokeswoman Liz Throsell.

However,Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the bill would not lead to censorship but would establish commercial and legal ties with platforms.