Turkey finalizes rules to restrict social media use for children under 15

Turkey is finalizing regulations that will ban children under 15 from opening social media accounts, with implementation guidelines and age verification systems being prepared, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said Thursday.

Göktaş spoke after the "Equal Opportunities in Education and Social Life: A Barrier Free Future" panel at Parliament. She said the ministry has established a working group to oversee implementation and that consultations with relevant institutions and stakeholders are ongoing.

"The regulation outlining the implementation framework will soon be finalized and put into effect," Göktaş told Anadolu Agency.

The legislation, approved by Parliament in April 2026, introduces obligations for social media companies to strengthen child protection measures, implement age verification systems and create safer digital environments for minors. Under the new framework, children under 15 will not be allowed to open social media accounts, while platforms will be required to establish systems capable of verifying users' ages.

Göktaş said technical studies are underway to determine which age verification methods social media platforms will be required to implement under the new rules. She added that the process is being coordinated with public institutions and other related organizations to ensure effective implementation once the regulation comes into force.

Authorities are also preparing separate digital safety measures for users aged 15 to 18, including age-appropriate services, stronger parental control mechanisms and faster intervention procedures against harmful content. Göktaş said the planned measures aim to encourage controlled social media use among children and prevent exposure to content that may be inappropriate for their age and development, emphasizing that the initiative will not be limited to legal regulations alone, with technical and operational mechanisms also being prepared.