Details of Social Media Regulations and Age Limits

Within the scope of the new regulations taking effect on social media platforms on November 1, the age verification process via e-Government and restrictions to be imposed on young users have become clear.

Age Verification Process via e-Government

Prof. Dr. Ali Murat Kırık stated that age verification within the scope of the under-15 ban will be carried out through the e-Government gateway and personal information will not be shared with platforms.

According to the system's operation, only a token indicating whether the user has completed the age of 15 will be uploaded to the relevant platform, and the verification process will be requested during account opening.

Restrictions for Users Aged 15-18

With the new regulation, accounts of users between the ages of 15 and 18 will be completely private, and the public account option will strictly not be offered for this age group.

In this age group, follower lists will be hidden, the live streaming feature will be disabled, taking screenshots will be prevented, and the infinite scrolling feature will be completely removed.

Status of Existing Accounts and Sanctions

Sessions on existing social media accounts in Turkey may be closed from time to time, and it will be mandatory to complete age verification upon logging in again.

Accounts opened using a parent token will be considered a crime, and various sanctions will be applied to tools without security verification and platforms that do not comply with audits.

Transition Period and Calendar Details

The prepared new legal regulation will officially enter into force on November 1, 2026, and social media platforms have been granted a grace period until March 31, 2027, to comply.

For tourists temporarily visiting Turkey, a separate application will be implemented for the age verification process to be carried out via passport.