Erdoğan Criticizes Digital Platforms for Undermining Turkish Family Structure at TRT World Forum 2025

President Erdoğan Addresses TRT World Forum 2025

Istanbul, Turkey – President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a keynote address at the 9th TRT World Forum 2025 on Friday, October 31, 2025, held at the Hilton Bomonti Hotel in Istanbul. During his speech, President Erdoğan strongly criticized global digital platforms, accusing them of encouraging 'deviant trends' and actively undermining Turkey's traditional family structure. He asserted that the 'family institution is under serious attack' and that 'deviant trends and relationships that ignore human nature are being encouraged through digital platforms'.

The President further stated that online media and streaming services were 'undermining social values and distorting the concept of freedom,' lamenting that 'all forms of immorality are being legitimized' under the guise of freedom, leading individuals to expose their privacy 'just to gain a few likes'.

Context of Digital Regulation in Turkey

Erdoğan's comments come amidst a broader push by the Turkish government to regulate online content and social media. Just days before his address, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a political ally, submitted a bill to parliament proposing to increase the digital services tax on foreign digital platforms from 7.5 percent to 12.5 percent. This initiative aims to bolster national digital media and prevent the outflow of capital to international companies such as Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify.

Turkey has implemented several measures in recent years to strengthen state-aligned and domestic media, including mandates for social media companies to establish local offices and content quotas for streaming services. Authorities have also been active in blocking access to social media accounts and digital news outlets, with more than 27,000 social media accounts blocked in the first four months of 2025 as part of efforts to combat 'disinformation'.

Protecting Family Values and Minors Online

The President's concerns about the family institution resonate with previous governmental discussions regarding the impact of digital platforms on society, particularly on minors. In early 2025, Turkey considered implementing age restrictions for social media users, with proposals for children under 13 and those aged 13 to 16. Platforms like Discord and Roblox have also faced bans in Turkey due to child safety concerns.

Research indicates that the widespread use of social media has contributed to transformations in the Turkish family structure since the 2000s, potentially leading to issues such as distrust, jealousy, and conflict within marriages. President Erdoğan praised the public broadcaster TRT for its role in promoting 'clean and family-oriented content' across its platforms, which include 17 television channels and 17 radio stations, reaching audiences in 41 languages.