15-year age limit and e-Government verification on social media start on November 1

The regulation prepared regarding the age limit on social media has been published in the Official Gazette. Within the scope of the regulation, which will enter into force on November 1, 2026, children who have not reached the age of 15 will be prevented from opening accounts on social networks, and age verification will be provided through the e-Government system.

Legal basis and effective date of the regulation

The implementation principles regarding the age limit on social media, whose legal framework was drawn by Law No. 7578 published on May 1, 2026, have been clarified with the regulation published in the Official Gazette, and it was announced that the rules will enter into force on November 1, 2026.

Innovations introduced for children and youth

In accordance with the new rules, social network providers are mandated to establish systems that will prevent children under the age of 15 from opening accounts and using services. For users between the ages of 15 and 18, it is aimed to offer child-specific services.

Age verification process via e-Government

While checking the age of users, a simple declaration of date of birth will not be sufficient. The system will operate with an e-Government-based token mechanism that allows users to verify their age threshold without directly sharing their identity information with the platform.

Exceptional applications for foreign users

For foreign nationals who do not reside in Turkey and are temporarily in the country, it is planned to create an online service working through passport information and an exceptional verification token.

Deadline set for existing accounts

The regulation does not only cover newly opened accounts. Pursuant to the regulation, existing accounts that were previously opened and have not undergone age verification are required to be verified by March 31, 2027, at the latest, and otherwise be closed.