Age Limit of 15 Introduced for Social Media Use
According to the decision published in the Official Gazette, an age limit of 15 has been introduced for social media use, bringing comprehensive restrictions and parental controls for young users and platforms.
The new regulations regarding the use of social media platforms were made official by being published in the Official Gazette dated October 10, 2026. With the amendment, individuals under the age of 15 are banned from opening accounts, and broad control mechanisms are being established with rules coming into force on November 1, 2026.
Official Gazette Decision and Effective Date
The provisions of the new regulation prepared for social media use were published in the Official Gazette dated October 10, 2026. All of the newly introduced rules will officially enter into force on November 1, 2026.
15 Age Limit and Age Verification
With the new regulation, children who have not reached the age of 15 are prohibited from using social media accounts. An age verification requirement has been introduced for platforms, and this process will be carried out with a document to be generated via e-Government (e-Devlet).
The deadline for completing age verification procedures for existing accounts opened previously has been set as March 31, 2027. During this period, checks will be carried out, and existing accounts determined to belong to individuals under the age of 15 will be closed.
Restrictions for Users Aged 15-18
Accounts of children who have completed 15 years of age but have not reached 18 will be set to private by default. Users in this age group will strictly not be permitted to broadcast live streams or be shown personalized advertisements.
In addition, endless scrolling features will be removed on the platforms, and technical measures to prevent taking screenshots will be implemented. Users will only be able to receive messages from accounts they follow, and read receipts will not be displayed.
Parental Control and Safety Measures
Relevant internet platforms will be required to offer parents the opportunity to manage their children's account settings, limit daily usage time, and maintain full control over paid transactions. Other users, on the other hand, will not be able to access the follower and following lists of minor users.