Social Media Identity Verification Debate in Turkey: Security or Surveillance?

Digital Security and Legal Accountability Goals Authorities aim to implement mandatory identity verification on social media platforms to prevent character assassinations carried out through fake accounts, stop the targeting of judges and prosecutors, and ensure that judicial processes are not manipulated.
The regulation is intended to more effectively enforce the criminal liabilities of identified users in the digital environment.
Debate on Legal Necessity and Proportionality Prof.
Yaman Akdeniz, an internet law expert and co-founder of the Freedom of Expression Association, is among those questioning the necessity and legality of the regulation.
According to Akdeniz, while the state is not currently paralyzed by anonymity, subjecting all users to identity verification challenges the principle of "proportionality" in law.
Anonymity and the Risk of a 'Chilling Effect' Experts argue that anonymity is an integral part of the democratic public sphere, providing a safe space particularly for citizens expressing critical views.
It is noted that making identity verification mandatory would establish a monitoring system covering all users, not just those committing crimes.
This situation is warned to potentially create a "chilling effect," leading individuals to hesitate in expressing their views even within legal boundaries.
Surveillance Society Concerns While protecting children from digital risks is accepted as a legitimate justification, the risk of the technical infrastructure established for this purpose turning into a broader control mechanism is emphasized.
Prof.
Akdeniz compares the potential scenario resulting from the combination of age and identity verification to the sophisticated control mechanisms in George Orwell's novel "1984," expressing concerns that it could create a "panopticon" (constant surveillance) structure.
There are fears that with the integration of the identity verification system, the capacity for digital intervention will take on a more institutional and permanent form.