Turkey Moves to End Online Anonymity With Mandatory Social Media ID Law

Government said the rules would curb disinformation and protect children, while free-speech groups warned of mass surveillance and self-censorship.Turkey’s President and leader of the Justice and Development (AK) Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) delivers a speech during his party’s group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, on Oct. 25, 2023. Adem Altan/AFP via Getty Images2/25/2026|Updated: 2/25/2026Turkey is advancing a major overhaul of social media rules that will require mandatory identity verification for all users.This month, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that the new law would end anonymous accounts on social media.