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Türkiye is launching a groundbreaking legal framework to regulate social media access.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced the details of this new system on April 22, 2026.
Users must now verify their identities through the e-Devlet portal to enter platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X.
This mandate applies to any social network with more than one million daily users in Türkiye. Minister Akin Gurlek described the change as a response to growing digital chaos and criminal activity.
"The anonymous environment of the internet prepares the ground for crimes like disinformation, fraud, and cyberbullying," Gurlek told Sabah.
He explained that the regulation aims to create a transparent digital world. Criminals will no longer remain invisible under this law. Real users should be able to express themselves without facing manipulation.
The ministry completed discussions with the Iletisim Baskanligi and the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK).
They have now finalized a draft to amend Internet Law No. 5651. The process involves a specific technical bridge between platforms and the state portal. This move aims to prevent bot accounts and fake profiles by ensuring only real individuals can register.
Users will be redirected to the e-Devlet system during the account creation process.
The portal will generate a unique key to confirm the identity of the person. This system ensures that social media companies never receive sensitive personal data.
BTK will store the actual records instead. Judicial authorities can only access this information during criminal investigations. Gurlek emphasized that the principle protects user privacy while ensuring accountability.
The government outlined a nine-month implementation schedule:
Social networks that fail to implement these rules will face heavy consequences.
The law introduces a tiered system of punishments to ensure compliance. Platforms may pay administrative fines up to 3% of their global turnover.
The state can also prohibit local businesses from placing ads on these platforms. If noncompliance continues, authorities can reduce internet speed for these apps by 50% to 90%.
The regulation also requires companies to provide identity data within 30 days if requested for catalog crimes. Gurlek also mentioned a separate initiative to review cold cases. A new unit within the ministry is examining files like the disappearance of university student Gulistan Doku.
"We established a unit. Files where investigations previously stopped are being examined one by one," he said.
The ministry intends to pursue cases that caused public sensitivity with determination.
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