Legal Restriction on Social Media Use Introduced for Those Under 15 Years of Age
With the new regulation entering into force on November 1, 2026, age verification and parental control mechanisms are being introduced to enhance children's safety on the internet.
According to the new regulation published in the Official Gazette, children under the age of 15 are prohibited from opening and using social media accounts, while special rule sets focused on privacy and security will be applied for users aged 15-18.
New Regulation Published in the Official Gazette
The regulation prepared regarding children's access to social networks and adopted in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey was published in the October 10, 2026 issue of the Official Gazette.
Age Limit and e-Government Verification
Within the scope of the Regulation on the Provision of Dedicated Segregated Services to Children by Social Network Providers and Age Verification, services cannot be provided to children under the age of fifteen, and age verification will be conducted via e-Government.
Schedule Determined for Existing Accounts
The regulation will enter into force on November 1, 2026, and it has been made mandatory for currently active social media accounts to undergo the age verification process until March 31, 2027.
Rules for Users Aged 15-18
Accounts of children between the ages of fifteen and eighteen will be kept private by default; messaging features will be restricted, starting live broadcasts and contact list synchronization will be prohibited.
Parental Control Tools and Inspection Mechanisms
Comprehensive parental control tools, such as Turkish-supported screen time, account settings, and spending controls, will be provided to enable families to manage their children's digital habits.