Ankara, Turkey – November 27, 2025 – In a landmark ruling that has sparked intense debate across Turkey, the Court of Cassation, the country's highest judicial authority, has affirmed that repeatedly liking photos of members of the opposite sex on social media can constitute valid grounds for divorce. The decision, issued in a highly contested case from Kayseri, highlights how routine online behavior is now being treated as potential evidence of emotional betrayal or breach of marital trust in Turkish family courts.
The case centered on a couple in their mid-30s who filed mutual divorce petitions after years of escalating conflict. The wife accused her husband of emotional and financial neglect, public humiliation, suspected infidelity, and—most notably—consistently liking photos of other women on Instagram and Facebook. She argued that these actions, even without physical cheating, severely damaged the foundation of trust in their marriage.
The husband, in turn, claimed his wife was excessively jealous, had insulted his father, and posted derogatory comments about him online. Despite his defense, both the initial family court in Kayseri and the regional court of appeal ruled overwhelmingly in the wife’s favor, stating that the husband’s pattern of liking other women’s photos demonstrated a lack of commitment and loyalty.
When the case reached the Court of Cassation, Turkey’s supreme court for civil and penal matters, the justices upheld the lower courts’ decisions without alteration. The high court emphasized that while a single “like” might be insignificant, repeated and targeted engagement with content posted by members of the opposite sex—especially when it involves revealing or personal images—can reasonably be interpreted as undermining the mutual trust and respect expected in marriage.
The ruling awarded the woman 30,000 Turkish lira in material compensation, another 30,000 lira for moral damages, and ongoing monthly alimony of 1,000 lira. Although she had initially demanded 500,000 lira in total compensation and 5,000 lira per month in alimony, the courts deemed those amounts disproportionate given the couple’s modest income.
Legal analysts note that this verdict aligns with a growing trend in Turkish jurisprudence where digital behavior is increasingly scrutinized in family law cases. Courts have previously accepted evidence such as frequent private messaging, following ex-partners, or commenting on suggestive posts as contributing factors in fault-based divorces. The Court of Cassation has now explicitly extended this logic to the act of liking photos, marking a significant expansion of what constitutes acceptable evidence of marital misconduct in the social media era.
The decision comes against the backdrop of sharply rising divorce rates in Turkey. According to official statistics, more than 170,000 marriages ended in divorce in 2024—a 12% increase from the previous year and the highest figure in over a decade. Many attribute this surge to economic hardship, rapid urbanization, and the transparency (or perceived transparency) that social media brings into relationships.
Reaction to the ruling has been sharply divided. Women’s rights organizations have welcomed it as an important acknowledgment of emotional infidelity and the subtle ways trust can be eroded in modern relationships. Advocates argue that such behavior, especially when persistent, creates justifiable insecurity and should not be dismissed as harmless.
Conversely, critics—particularly from men’s rights groups and conservative circles—have condemned the decision as an overreach that criminalizes innocent online activity and turns courts into arbiters of personal expression. Some have warned that the precedent could encourage obsessive monitoring of partners’ social media or be weaponized in contentious divorces.
Family law practitioners report that social media evidence has become commonplace in Turkish divorce proceedings over the past five years. Screenshots of likes, comments, direct messages, and even “story” views are now routinely submitted, often backed by forensic reports confirming authenticity and timestamps.
While the ruling does not ban liking photos outright or declare it automatic grounds for divorce in every case, it establishes that such behavior can be considered contributing fault when it forms part of a broader pattern of disrespect or disloyalty. Courts are expected to evaluate context, frequency, and the nature of the content involved.
For many younger Turks, who grew up with social media as an integral part of daily life, the decision has prompted uneasy self-reflection. Relationship counselors report a spike in inquiries from couples seeking guidance on “acceptable” online boundaries. Some users have begun clearing old likes or switching to private accounts, while others joke darkly about deleting apps entirely to protect their marriages.
As Turkey continues to navigate the tension between traditional family values and the realities of digital-age relationships, this Court of Cassation ruling is likely to influence thousands of future cases. It serves as a stark reminder that in today’s interconnected world, even the smallest digital gesture can have profound real-world consequences—especially when love, trust, and the law collide.
