15 Age Limit Implementation Begins on Social Media Platforms
The regulation determining the obligations of social network providers regarding the protection of children and imposing restrictions on users under 15 has become official.
The new regulation regulating social media platforms' obligations to protect children and banning the provision of services to children under the age of 15 has been published in the Official Gazette. Within the scope of the regulation, age verification will be carried out via e-Government integration.
Ban on Under 15 and Age Verification
Social network providers will be obliged to reject account opening requests from children under the age of 15. Age verification will be carried out through e-Government integration.
For existing accounts, the age verification process must be completed by March 31, 2027, at the latest, and accounts of users determined to be under 15 will be closed.
Security Measures for the 15-18 Age Group
Children between the ages of 15 and 18 will be offered a separate service including age-specific security and privacy measures.
Accounts of children in this age group will be private by default, and live broadcasting will not be permitted.
Restricted Methods and Messaging Rules
Personalized advertisements will not be displayed on children's accounts, and methods such as infinite scrolling and sequential content feeds will not be allowed.
Child users will only be able to receive messages from accounts they follow, and other users will not be able to see the follower lists of these accounts.
Parental Control Tools and Calendar
Platforms will be required to provide parents with control tools such as checking account settings, limiting usage time, and allowing paid transactions.
The implementation schedule of the new regulation, which will enter into force on November 1, 2026, has been clarified with the details in the Official Gazette.