Age Limit Era Begins on Social Media and Online Gaming Platforms
With a regulation prepared by the Presidency of Cybersecurity, social networking services have been banned for children under the age of 15. The application will be carried out via e-Government.
According to the regulation prepared by the Presidency of Cybersecurity and published in the Official Gazette, providing services to children under 15 on social networks and online gaming platforms accessible from Turkey has been banned, and age verification has been linked to the e-Government system.
Scope of the Regulation and Prohibition Details
The 'Regulation on the Provision of Differentiated Services Specific to Children by Social Network Providers and Age Verification', prepared by the Presidency of Cybersecurity and published in the Official Gazette, has gained official status.
In accordance with the regulation covering all domestic and foreign social network providers and online gaming platforms accessible from Turkey, social network services cannot be provided to children under the age of 15, and platforms will reject registration requests.
Age Verification System via e-Government
In the new system, age verification will be carried out through a special 'age verification token' generated via e-Government.
This token to be used will only confirm whether the age limit is met, and no other personal data will be shared with third parties.
Deadlines for Existing Accounts
Existing accounts currently in use on the platforms are required to be verified at least once with the e-Government token by March 31, 2027 at the latest.
User accounts found to be under the age of 15 as a result of the checks to be performed will be closed, and data will be deleted after the specified legal procedures.
Measures for Young People Between 15-18
The new regulation introduced includes special rules covering not only those under 15, but also young users between the ages of 15 and 18.
Accounts of users in this age group will be kept private by default, live broadcast features will be restricted, and personalized advertising display and algorithmic recommendations will be disabled.
Effective Date and Gaming Platforms
Game providers are required to rate their content according to age and offer Turkish parental control tools.
The regulation containing all these new rules will officially enter into force on November 1, 2026, after the completion of preparation processes.