Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, stated, "No matter what the cost, we will not let hidden intentions shape our family structure and cultural codes."
At the opening of the panel on "New Communication Technologies and Family", which was organised by the Directorate of Communications, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş stated that they had convened to examine the family in the context of new communication technologies.
Minister Göktaş stated that communication technologies are currently reshaping many aspects of life, from the way we think to family relationships, and that people physically living under the same roof can be spiritually miles apart while communicating with someone on the other side of the world in seconds. Minister Göktaş stated that new communication technologies must be viewed as a social transformation affecting the family, social solidarity, and human relations and thanked Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran for his efforts to ensure that family values resonate more strongly in society through the media.
"No screen can replace the warmth of a family table"
Minister Göktaş emphasised that technology is increasingly influencing all aspects of life and that artificial intelligence is driving the world through a major transformation, stating that new perspectives centred on the family are required. "Our real issue is to turn the direction of change in favour of the family," Minister Göktaş said, adding that family policies should be addressed along this line and that new communication technologies should be viewed from this perspective.
Minister Göktaş stated, "At this point, I'd like to emphasise that our approach is not to ban technology. Our approach is to promote the use of technology that is safe, conscious, and human-centred. The real question here is whether technology controls people or whether humans direct technology."
Minister Göktaş pointed out that what children need most is not a new app, a screen, or a digital facility, but their parents’ attention, love, and quality time spent together, saying, “No screen can replace the warmth of a family table. No algorithm can replace a mother’s compassion or a father’s guidance. Technology may make life easier, but what gives life meaning is the bonds that people form with one another."
“We will not let hidden intentions shape our family structure”
Minister Göktaş noted that strengthening the family institution today creates the strongest social resilience against the challenges of the digital age and added:
"As a result, it is critical that academia, the public sector, civil society, media outlets, and technology companies act with a common sense of responsibility. By doing so, we can create a meaningful, family-friendly world together despite evolving communication technologies, tools, platforms, and channels. We will continue to fight those who sacrifice our culture for trend lists and use family values as a rating stunt. No matter what the cost, we will not let hidden intentions shape our family structure and cultural codes.”
Göktaş stated that the work they have been carrying out in this field reflects the vision of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who regards the family as a matter of national survival, and said: “This vision has elevated the family beyond being merely an issue of social policy. “It has positioned the family as the main supporting pillar of our national development move and the Century of Türkiye goals,” she said. Recalling that they had introduced several strategic initiatives within a short period of time in line with this approach, Minister Göktaş noted that the Vision Document and Action Plan for the Protection and Strengthening of the Family, launched in 2024, had established a new framework supporting family and population policies.
“We will not be swept away by global trends threatening the family”
Noting that they had gained broader room for action following President Erdoğan’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family”, Minister Göktaş continued:
"We rallied the public, private sector, local governments, academia, and civil society behind a common goal. We implemented projects that reached every household across the country. We worked to promote digital literacy. We provided parents with guidance to help them support their children more consciously in the digital world. The 2025 Year of the Family resonated deeply across our nation, in all 81 provinces and in each of our seven regions. We accommodated nearly 20,000 events within a single calendar year. We have also transferred the experience accumulated during the 2025 Year of the Family to our vision for the Decade of Family and Population. On the other hand, we continue to work to ensure that our children have access to age-appropriate and safe content, that they are protected from online risks, and that child-friendly digital policies are reinforced.
We advocate that algorithms should take into account not only engagement, but also the best interests of children. Because no commercial concern is more important than a child's safety. With this conviction, we emphasise that digital platforms are not only economic actors but also bear social responsibilities. In this context, we have implemented a comprehensive legal regulation to protect our children from the dangers of digital media. By doing so, we have taken a significant step towards creating a safer digital ecosystem for our children. Our goal is to help build a digital ecosystem that strengthens families and protects children while maximising the opportunities provided by the digital age."
Emphasising that families have always been a source of strength for them, Minister Göktaş said: “Inspired by the legacy we have inherited from the past, we have full confidence that, no matter what storms we may encounter, we will steer the ship of the family safely into harbour. We will not be swept away by global trends threatening the family. We will hold onto the values that define us. We will strengthen this belief during the Decade of Family and Population, which runs from 2026 to 2035. We will work to protect our families from the dangers of the digital age, to embrace our children with compassion, and to provide a secure future for our youth."