Türkiye’s communications chief warned Wednesday that digital platforms must be governed through public responsibility and stronger oversight, as online gambling, misinformation and algorithm-driven addiction increasingly threaten social cohesion and family life.
Burhanettin Duran, head of the Directorate of Communications, said the country cannot disengage from the digital world but must instead assert control over how it shapes individual behavior and social relations.
“Digital platforms do not only create personal addictions,” Duran said. “They produce consequences that destroy families, weaken social relationships and, in some cases, cost individuals their lives. We cannot abandon the digital world, but we must manage it. Control has to remain in our hands."
Duran was speaking at a panel titled "Responsibility, Freedom and Security on Social Media," hosted at the Directorate of Communications in Ankara. The event brought together senior officials, lawmakers and cybersecurity experts to discuss the growing societal risks posed by digital ecosystems.
Duran said digital platforms have intensified ethical concerns by fostering disinformation, hate speech, gender bias and social inequality, while exposing children and young people to harmful content. He criticized what he described as “invisible algorithms” designed to maximize clicks and engagement, often at the expense of users’ mental health and real-world social interaction.
“Digital dependency cannot be overcome with a simple detox,” he said.
Duran also pointed to the rapid spread of online betting and gambling content as one of the most serious risks in the digital environment, warning that such platforms facilitate financial exploitation, data abuse and psychological harm.
“These risks do not concern only children and young people,” he said. “All individuals are at risk, and awareness must be built across society.”
According to Duran, the state must play a regulatory and supervisory role by establishing a strong legal framework, while families should raise awareness for themselves and their children. Digital platforms, he added, must assume greater responsibility for content moderation and algorithmic transparency.
Duran noted that Türkiye is not alone in grappling with these challenges, pointing to measures adopted globally, including age verification systems, parental consent requirements, algorithmic accountability and content restrictions.
“From the United States to China, from Australia to Germany, many countries are introducing safeguards,” he said.
