Age Limit of 15 Introduced on Social Media Platforms
With the new regulation prepared by the Presidency's Cybersecurity Directorate, an age limit of 15 has been introduced for social networks, and the requirement for age verification via e-Government has become official.
The Presidency's Cybersecurity Directorate regulation, which mandates an age limit of 15 for social network providers and age verification via e-Government, has been published in the Official Gazette and tied to an implementation calendar.
New Regulation Published in the Official Gazette
The Regulation on Providing Child-Specific Segregated Services by Social Network Providers and Age Verification, prepared for the protection of children on social media, has entered into force.
With the regulation prepared by the Presidency's Cybersecurity Directorate, radical changes were made to the operating principles of social network providers.
Account Restrictions for Under 15
In accordance with the provisions of the regulation, social network providers will not be able to offer services to children who have not reached the age of 15 and will not approve new account opening requests.
Individuals under the specified age limit will be completely prevented from owning accounts on social media platforms, and existing accesses will be cut off.
Age Verification Process via e-Government
User age verification will be carried out through the age verification token provided via the e-Government Gateway.
During this process, special methods that allow only the determination of the age threshold rather than identity identification will be preferred.
Effective Dates and Transition Process
The newly prepared regulation will officially enter into force on November 1, 2026.
While it is made mandatory to complete age verification procedures for existing accounts until March 31, 2027, accounts that are not verified by this date will be closed.
Segregated Service for Children Aged 15-18
High-level privacy settings and a private profile obligation will apply to children between the ages of 15 and 18.
While messaging restrictions will be introduced for users in this age group, live broadcasting and personalized ad displays will be completely banned.
Parental Control Tools and Obligations
Social network providers are mandated to establish infrastructures that allow parents to limit their children's screen time.
Parents will also be able to actively use Turkish parental control tools to monitor spending and account settings.