What is the warning method?
The warning method (uyarı yöntemi) is defined in Article 2 of Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Internet Publications. A person who claims that content infringes their rights first notifies the content provider (the author or publisher) and, if no result is obtained within a reasonable time, the hosting provider, using their contact addresses. It is a private notice procedure: no court or authority is involved at this stage.
Why it matters
- It triggers the hosting provider’s duty. A hosting provider has no general duty to monitor content, but must take unlawful content down once notified in accordance with the Law (Article 5).
- It builds the file. A dated, reasoned notice and the platform’s answer (or silence) show later that the provider knew. This matters for liability and for any civil action under Articles 24 and 25 of the Turkish Civil Code.
- It works without Article 9. Since the Constitutional Court annulled Article 9 of Law No. 5651 with effect from 10 October 2024, notice to providers is one of the main tools left for non-criminal reputational content (see our article on content removal after 2024).
Large social network providers (more than one million daily accesses from Türkiye) have a separate application channel and must give a reasoned reply within 48 hours under Additional Article 4.
A good notice
Identify the exact URL, quote the statements complained of, explain briefly why they are unlawful (a false statement of fact, insult, disclosure of private life or personal data, a trade secret), attach evidence and ask for a specific step. Truthful criticism and genuine complaints are protected expression and are not a proper subject of a removal notice. The practical sequence for companies is in our guide to complaint sites and online reviews.
Is there a fixed deadline for the content provider to answer?
The Law speaks of a reasonable time, not a fixed number of days. In practice the period depends on the urgency and the platform; recording when each notice was sent and received is what counts later.
Sources. Law No. 5651, Articles 2, 5 and Additional Article 4; Constitutional Court decision E. 2020/76, K. 2023/172. Official Turkish texts.