This study provides a sociological analysis of the impacts of modernization, secularization, and digital culture on the structural transformation of the traditional family institution. It first examines the pivotal role of modernization, triggered by processes like industrialization, urbanization, and individualization, in the evolution of the family from an extended to a nuclear structure. Within the Turkish context, phenomena such as the democratization of intra-family hierarchies, the changing status of women, and the transfer of traditional family functions to other institutions from the Tanzimat era to the Republican period are explored as concrete indicators of this transformation. Following this macro-level shift, the study discusses how the process of secularization, emerging because of modernization, has altered the spiritual fabric and the understanding of privacy within the family. With the diminishing referential value of religion in social life, privacy is observed to shift from a collective and religious foundation towards an axis of individual rights and public visibility. This shift has led to fundamental changes in practices related to marriage, divorce, sexuality, and child-rearing, thereby weakening intra-family bonds.

In the contemporary era, the integration of digital culture into this historical process has added a new dimension to the transformation. While digital communication tools have opened new channels of interaction among family members, they have also created a paradox that can transform physical proximity into emotional distance. The divide between "digital natives" and "digital immigrants" has undermined parental authority through easy access to information, and social media has blurred the boundaries of privacy by publicizing private family moments. Focusing on the concept of "digital parenting," the study emphasizes the new roles, digital literacy, and ethical responsibilities required to protect the new generation from cyber risks and maintain family unity.