How to Regulate Social Media Use During Elections in Turkiye

Abstract

2023 general election in Turkiye was particularly significant due to the extensive use of digital tools and social media to reach and engage voters but online political advertising has still remained unregulated. The absence of such regulation in digital campaign has led to uncertainty about who is running campaigns and who is behind the social media posts, causing voters to distrust online political information. It is essential to enhance the transparency on who is producing and funding campaign activities. Electors can “understand the origins of campaigning material” and are “able to make a political choice with greater confidence”. This study provides essential and easily applicable recommendations to promote the integrity of our elections in Turkiye. To do so, the doctrinal legal research methodology is applied which a descriptive and detailed analysis of legal rules found in primary sources (cases, statutes, or regulations). The study focuses on three key issues on the unregulated online campaign which are transparency – who is behind the campaign, online campaign spending, and misinformation in the digital campaign. The study first addresses the importance of clarifying the identities behind the online campaigns. Secondly, the uncertainty about the online election campaigns stems from a lack of transparency regarding campaign spending. Greater transparency is needed for online election campaigns, particularly about the funders and purchasers of such ads. In conclusion, with the help of these regulations the transparency and accountability will be increased among political campaigners. This will ensure that our democracy is promoted, rather than undermined in the digital age, and most importantly, that elections will remain free, fair, and honest.