Video-driven platforms remain the primary force shaping internet usage in Türkiye, with YouTube accounting for the largest share of total traffic in the fourth quarter of last year, according to data released by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK).
The report shows that YouTube captured 44.3% of overall internet traffic, maintaining a clear lead over other platforms. Instagram followed with a 17% share, while TikTok accounted for 4.7%, underscoring the dominance of video-based and social media platforms in user behavior.
Internet usage during the period continued to rely heavily on fixed infrastructure. Fixed connections made up 83.5% of total traffic, compared to 16.5% for mobile.
Download traffic was similarly distributed, with 83.3% occurring via fixed networks and 16.7% via mobile, while upload traffic reached 86.1% on fixed and 13.9% on mobile. These figures highlight the sustained importance of fixed broadband in supporting high-volume data consumption.
Streaming media emerged as the leading category, representing 65.8% of total internet traffic. This reflects strong demand for real-time delivery of video, audio and gaming content without full file downloads. Within this category, YouTube held a 57.2% share, followed by Instagram at 16.8% and TikTok at 6.1%, confirming the central role of audiovisual platforms in shaping digital consumption.
In the messaging segment, Instagram ranked first with a 64.1% share of traffic. It was followed by Facebook at 15.2% and WhatsApp at 10.9%, positioning these platforms as the primary tools for real-time communication among users.
Software update traffic was led by Apple Software Update, which accounted for 37.8% of the category. Google Play followed with 31.3%, while Windows updates represented 11.6%, indicating that major operating system ecosystems dominate update-related data usage.
In online gaming, Steam ranked first with a 35.6% share, reflecting its role as the leading distribution platform for PC-based games. It was followed by PlayStation at 21.9%, Epic Games Store at 9% and Xbox at 5.3%, pointing to continued demand for high-capacity, interactive gaming environments.
For internet-based voice communication, WhatsApp led the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) category with a 55.9% share. Facebook accounted for 11.5%, while FaceTime reached 10.4%. Snapchat held 4%, followed by RTP at 2.9%, indicating that mobile applications dominate digital voice and video communication.
Cloud storage usage was led by iCloud with a 64% share, supported by its integration across devices. Google Cloud Storage accounted for 6.8%, while Google Photos held 5.7%, reflecting diversified but ecosystem-driven storage preferences.
Content production trends aligned with consumption patterns. YouTube accounted for 39.7% of total content creation, followed by Instagram at 13.5%. Monthly data showed peak production levels in February, March and September 2025, indicating periodic increases in user-generated content activity.
