Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 12 NOVEMBER 2020

Turkey Places Data Localization Requirement On Social Network Providers

Hall Booth Smith, P.C.
Explore more from Hall Booth Smith, P.C.

Last December, we discussed India's proposed Personal Data Protection Bill and the implications of its data localization requirement. It appears Turkey has now promulgated a similar requirement.

TurkeyPrivacy
Brett Lawrence
Brett Lawrence

Last December, we discussed India's proposed Personal Data Protection Bill and the implications of its data localization requirement. It appears Turkey has now promulgated a similar requirement.

Overview

On July 29, 2020, Turkey's legislature, the Turkish Grand National Assembly, approved the passing of Law No. 5651, an amendment to the country's "Regulation of Internet Broadcasts and Prevention of Crimes Committed through Such Broadcasts." On October 1, 2020, this amendment went into full force and effect.

Law No. 5651 creates a new actor called a "social network provider," defined as "natural or legal persons that provide opportunities for users to create, view or share textual, visual, audio, or location data, etc. for social interaction." Among other things, Law No. 5651 requires providers to (1) appoint local representatives; (2) have notification, reporting, and content removal procedures; and (3) provide reports prepared in Turkish to Turkey's

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Turkiye Introduces New Age Verification And Child Protection Requirements For Social Network Providers

On 10 October 2026, the Regulation on the Provision of Differentiated Services for Children and Age Verification by Social Network Providers (the "Regulation") was published in the Official Gazette. Issued by the Cyber Security Presidency, the Regulation introduces mandatory age verification, restrictions on children's access to social networks and additional safeguards for users aged 15 to 17.
TurkeyPrivacy
Balcıoğlu Selçuk Eymirlioğlu Ardıyok Keki Attorney Partnership
Balcıoğlu Selçuk Eymirlioğlu Ardıyok Keki Attorney Partnership
Article

New Regulations For Protecting Children On Social Media In Turkey Minimum Age, Age Verification & Parental Controls

While the widespread use of social media by children offers significant opportunities for communication and access to information, it also presents various risks, including exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, online exploitation, and threats to the protection of personal data. These risks have increased the importance of legal regulations aimed at protecting children in the digital environment.
TurkeyPrivacy
ADMD/Mavioglu & Alkan Law Office
ADMD/Mavioglu & Alkan Law Office
Article

New Age Verification And Child-Specific Service Obligations Introduced For Social Network Providers

Turkey's new regulation mandates strict age verification and child-specific protections for social media platforms, prohibiting services to users under 15 and requiring segregated, privacy-enhanced accounts for those aged 15-17. Social network providers must implement parental controls, restrict targeted advertising and profiling, and establish transparent appeal mechanisms, with enforcement beginning November 2026.
TurkeyPrivacy
Moroglu Arseven
Moroglu Arseven
Article

Data Protection Law In Turkey (KVKK): Compliance Obligations For Businesses

This article examines Turkey's personal data protection framework under Law No. 6698 from the perspective of companies operating in, selling into or otherwise handling data connected with the Turkish market. It addresses the distinction between data controllers and processors, lawful processing, the information duty, the 2024 reform of special-category data and cross-border transfers, the 2025 VERBIS exemption update, data subject requests, breach response and enforcement.
TurkeyPrivacy
ONGUR & PARTNERS
ONGUR & PARTNERS
Article

Sosyal Ağlarda Yaş Doğrulaması Ve Çocuk Hesaplarına İlişkin Yeni Yükümlülükler

Yönetmelik 1 Kasım 2026’da yürürlüğe girecek olup mevcut hesaplar için 31 Mart 2027’ye kadar süre tanımaktadır. Yükümlülüklere aykırılık hâlinde 5651 sayılı Kanun’un ilgili yaptırım hükümleri uygulanacağından sosyal ağ sağlayıcılarının kayıt akışlarını, çocuk hesaplarını ve itiraz süreçlerini yürürlük tarihinden önce gözden geçirmesi gerekmektedir
TurkeyPrivacy
ASY Legal
ASY Legal