Turkey has officially stepped into what many are calling a new “digital era” of divorce law following a landmark appellate court ruling confirming that a spouse’s “likes” on other women’s social-media photos can be considered a factor capable of damaging marital trust. The decision, first reported by Habertürk, is expected to serve as a precedent in similar future cases.
The case originated in Kayseri, where a woman told the court that her husband’s repeated liking of other women’s photos amounted to disrespect, loss of trust, and a thr+at to the stability of their marriage. She demanded 5,000 Turkish lira in alimony and over 500,000 lira in material damages.
The first-instance court ruled that the husband bore “serious fault” for the breakdown of the marriage and ordered him to pay 40,000 lira each in material and moral compensation, along with 750 lira in monthly alimony. The husband appealed, but the higher court upheld the woman’s claims, slightly reducing the compensation while raising alimony to 1,000 lira.
The court’s headline-making conclusion stated:
“Liking is not infidelity in itself, but it can have a psychological impact that undermines marital trust.”
This precedent means Turkish courts may now factor in digital behavior likes, comments, reposts, and other forms of online interaction when assessing marital loyalty and determining compensation. Lawyers say this ruling will likely influence a growing number of family disputes, making digital footprints a central element of legal evidence.
The decision raises broader cultural questions in Turkey about the boundaries of online interaction and how much digital engagement affects real-life trust questions that remain unanswered for now.
