The president of Turkey said Saturday that social media was one of the main threats to democracy.
Critics say the proposed changes would tighten restrictions on free speech, despite the fact that the government plans to criminalize spreading fake news.
"Social media, which was described as a symbol of freedom when it first appeared, has turned into one of the main sources of threat to today's democracy," said the president in a video message.
He said that they try to protect the vulnerable sections of our society against lies and misinformation without violating their right to receive accurate and impartial information.
Turkey passed a law last year requiring social media platforms with more than 1 million users to keep a legal representative and store data in the country. Major social media companies have opened offices in Turkey.
According to pro-government media reports, the new legislation would make dissemination of "disinformation" and "fake news" a criminal offense with up to five years in prison. The social media regulator would be established.
Most of Turkey's major media companies are under the control of the government.
Turkey is not free because of the removal of content critical of the government and the prosecution of people posting "undesirable" commentary on social media, according to a report by Freedom House.
