Türkiye acts to enforce real-identity registration for social media

ANKARA

Türkiye is preparing to introduce a system that would require users to register for social media platforms with their official identity information, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek has said, marking a significant step toward ending anonymous accounts.

Gürlek stated that discussions with major social media companies have been completed and that the platforms have agreed in principle to the new framework.

Under the planned regulation, individuals opening social media accounts would be required to verify their identity.

“A person who opens an account and commits a crime on social media must face consequences,” Gürlek said, arguing that digital platforms should operate under clear legal rules similar to other areas of public life.

He also criticized the spread of misinformation and what he described as “trial by social media,” where users publicly judge individuals and events without due process.

The proposal, which is expected to be submitted to parliament as part of a legislative package, includes a transition period to phase out anonymous and automated accounts.

According to Gürlek, accounts that fail to comply with the new requirements could be removed by platforms during this process.

Once the law is passed, authorities anticipate a three-month implementation period to establish the necessary technical infrastructure.

Alongside the identity verification mandate, Türkiye is also moving to prohibit children under 15 from using social media platforms as part of a separate legislative package.

Under this proposed legislation, social media companies operating in Türkiye would establish effective age-verification systems and to design separate, child-specific digital environments for users aged 15 and above, clearly segregated from adult-oriented services.

Platforms would also be obliged to provide robust parental control mechanisms, enabling parents to manage account settings, approve or restrict paid transactions and limit usage time to prevent excessive screen exposure.