A new era begins for children on social media

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş shared the details of the new regulation regarding children's social media use, which will enter into force on November 1, with the public following the Cabinet Meeting.

New Regulation and Age Limit

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş shared the details of the new regulation regarding children's social media use following the Cabinet Meeting. Göktaş stated that within the scope of the regulation coming into effect on November 1, only users who have completed the age of 15 will be able to open social media accounts by verifying their age via e-Government.

Compliance Period for Platforms

Social media platforms will be granted a period until March 31, 2027, to adapt to the new order. After this date, there will be a full transition to the digital code age verification system.

Restrictions for the 15-18 Age Group

The new regulation will also change the social media experience for users between the ages of 15 and 18. Features such as broadcasting live streams and taking screen recordings will not be available for users in this age group.

Features like infinite scrolling and rewinding, which are stated to increase screen addiction, will also be restricted. Additionally, only accounts followed by children will be able to send them messages, and the read receipt feature for messages will be disabled.

Age Verification with e-Government

In the new system, users who want to create a social media account will be directed to e-Government for age verification. Accounts can be opened by verifying age information with the digital code obtained from here.

Audit and Suspension

Audits will not be limited to account opening, and platforms will also be able to conduct age checks during use. If there is suspicion that an account is being used by someone under the age of 15, the account will be temporarily suspended.

Parental Accounts and Fund Investigation

Minister Göktaş stated that a control mechanism has also been established against the possibility of children accessing social media through their parents' accounts. On the other hand, Göktaş also responded to the claims made by New Party İzmir Deputy Ümit Özlale within the scope of the fund investigation.