Türkiye’s New Digital Advertising Rules: AI, Influencers, and Discounts Under State Control
On August 1, 2026, sweeping amendments to Türkiye’s Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices come into force. The Ministry of Trade is tightening transparency requirements across the digital advertising landscape — from AI-generated content and influencer posts to discount pricing mechanisms.
Background: Why the Reform Was Needed
The overhaul comes in direct response to the rapid growth of influencer marketing and a surge in consumer complaints. According to Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, of the country’s roughly 86 million inhabitants, 58.5 million are active social media users. The influencer advertising market reflects this scale: Statista projects ad spend in this segment will reach $81.2 million in 2025, growing at an average annual rate of 15.25% through 2030 and potentially reaching $165.1 million by the end of the decade.
The new rules apply to all advertisers, influencers, and digital service providers, and are designed to protect consumers from deceptive practices across social media, AI platforms, and e-commerce.
AI in Advertising: Mandatory Disclosure
One of the regulation’s most significant new requirements concerns AI-generated advertising content. Any advertisement featuring characters or personas created with artificial intelligence must clearly disclose their synthetic nature to the audience.
The use of AI-generated digital replicas of real individuals — designed to simulate personal product endorsements — is now strictly prohibited. This measure targets deepfake technology specifically: consumers must be able to clearly distinguish between a genuine human recommendation and a synthetically produced likeness.
Influencers: Labelling Becomes Law
Content creators and influencers operating on social media can no longer blur the line between organic recommendations and paid promotions. If a creator receives any form of compensation — whether monetary or in the form of free products — they are legally required to label the content as an advertisement.
Existing hashtags such as #Reklam, #Sponsor, #İşbirliği, #Ortaklık, #Hediye, and #Davet are no longer sufficient on their own. Under the new rules, influencers must explicitly name the sponsoring brand — for example: “Provided by @[brand]” or “In partnership with @[brand]”. This requirement applies even when a campaign spans multiple posts.
The tax status of received gifts has also been clarified in parallel. The Ministries of Treasury and Trade introduced a rule requiring social media influencers to pay a 15% withholding tax not only on cash earnings, but also on products and services received free of charge — including PR packages, smartphones, clothing, cosmetics, and hotel stays.
Targeted Advertising: New Restrictions
Digital platforms using personal data for ad targeting are now required to explain to consumers how their profile is built and provide the option to adjust those settings.
Targeted advertising directed at children using their personal data is fully prohibited. All other forms of behavioural targeting are only permitted with the explicit consent of the consumer.
Discounts and Reviews: Closing the Loopholes
The widespread practice of artificially inflating prices ahead of sales campaigns is officially coming to an end. Under the new rules, the reference price for any promotional discount must reflect the lowest price applied during the 10 days preceding the campaign’s start date.
Publishing unverified consumer reviews is now banned. At the same time, genuine positive and negative reviews may be freely redistributed across platforms.
Vague environmental claims are also prohibited: terms like “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” cannot be used without verifiable supporting evidence, forcing companies to substantiate any sustainability messaging with concrete data.
Additional Prohibitions
Existing restrictions on advertising pharmaceuticals, medical products, e-cigarettes, tobacco, and alcohol remain in place. The regulation also introduces a full ban on promoting fortune-telling services, illegal betting, and any content designed to draw children into commercial activities.
In-app loot box mechanics will be required to disclose the probability of receiving each item.
Enforcement
Oversight is carried out by Türkiye’s Advertising Board (Reklam Kurulu) under the Ministry of Trade. The Board reviews complaints from consumers and competitors, and conducts its own proactive monitoring across all media channels. “The new regulation will create transparent, standardised rules for labelling influencer advertising and strengthen consumer rights protection,” the Ministry of Trade stated.
What This Means for Businesses in Türkiye
The new rules affect a broad range of market participants: brands, advertising agencies, e-commerce platforms, and influencers alike. Companies using influencer marketing or AI tools in their promotional activities will need to revise contract terms, update labelling formats, and review their approach to reviews and discount campaigns — before the regulation takes effect on August 1, 2026.