Age Limit of 15 and Age Verification Era Begins on Social Media

Within the scope of the regulation banning the provision of services to children under 15 on social media and making age verification mandatory via e-Government, Sakarya University Faculty of Law academic Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sezercan Bektaş made critical evaluations directed at families and users.

The regulation regarding social network providers offering segregated services specific to children and age verification enters into force on Sunday, November 1. Sakarya University Faculty of Law academic Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sezercan Bektaş shared the details of the new era and emphasized that opening a social media account for children under the age of 15 is prohibited, and parental consent does not constitute an exception to this ban. Users between the ages of 15 and 18, on the other hand, will receive restricted and segregated services from the platforms.

It was reported that the practice covers not only new accounts but also existing accounts, and age verification will be carried out through approval information obtained via e-Government. Identity information will not be shared directly with social media platforms, and verification must be made via e-Government for existing accounts until March 31, 2027. It was stated that access to the accounts of users who do not perform verification may be restricted.

Cyber Security Audit and Responsibility of Families

While no administrative penalty is envisaged for children and parents in case of non-compliance with the regulation, social network providers that fail to fulfill their obligations may face administrative fines of up to 3 percent of their global turnover. The audit authority was granted to the Presidency of Cyber Security.