Massive social media surveillance by Police and Gendarmerie: The balance sheet of 'virtual patrols' revealed!

The 2025 activity reports of the General Directorate of Security and the Gendarmerie General Command included striking data regarding the examination of social media accounts and judicial processes. According to the reports, the two institutions examined a total of 600 thousand 180 social media accounts throughout the year.

According to a report by İsmail Arı from Birgün, the Gendarmerie General Command examined 342 thousand 699 social media accounts in 2025. Within the scope of these examinations, the identities of 47 thousand 936 social media users were determined and proceedings were initiated against them.

The General Directorate of Security, meanwhile, placed 257 thousand 481 social media accounts under scrutiny as part of its "virtual patrol activities." The Security report stated that the users of 162 thousand 298 accounts were identified and reported to judicial authorities.

DETENTION AND ARREST DATA

It was announced that as a result of the work carried out by the Security forces, 8 thousand 471 people were detained and 496 people were arrested. While judicial control measures were applied to 1 thousand 360 of those detained, 6 thousand 615 suspects were released.

Thus, as a result of the investigations into social media accounts by the Police and Gendarmerie in 2025, an investigation or legal process was initiated against a total of 210 thousand 234 people.

The Security report noted that the investigations were conducted under categories such as terrorist organization propaganda, drug sales or promotion, inciting the public to hatred and hostility, content involving violence against women and animals, insulting the President, degrading state institutions and organs, and crimes committed against Atatürk.

ERDOĞAN HAD SAID "I DO NOT VIEW IT POSITIVELY"

Social media regulations have long been on the government's agenda. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had previously stated in his remarks regarding social media platforms, "I do not view social media positively at all."

In another statement he made in 2020, he had used the following expressions: "We cannot accept that 83 million people remain helpless in the face of social media terror. In this context, we are working on a legal regulation. We must do whatever is necessary for these channels to establish legal and financial accountability. We will implement access bans, as well as judicial and financial sanctions. Turkey is not a banana republic."

News Source: 12punto