Age verification and child protection measures on social media begin
With the new regulation entering into force on November 1, social media use by children under 15 is tied to e-Government and artificial intelligence controls.
Under the new social media regulation led by the Ministry of Family and Social Services and taking effect on November 1, age verification for children under 15 will be conducted via e-Government using a digital code, and the process will be supported by artificial intelligence.
Implementation start date and compliance period
The social media regulation, which will enter into force as of November 1, will implement new measures aimed at protecting children.
It was stated that the compliance period will continue until March 31, 2027, and necessary infrastructure work will be carried out during this period.
Age verification via digital code through e-Government
According to the information shared by Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, children under 15 will need to verify their age via e-Government in order to open a social media account.
Without sharing their identity information directly with platforms, users will obtain a special digital code verifying their age and use this code during the account creation process.
Two-way control mechanism and suspension
Age verification will not be limited to the initial registration stage; platforms will also perform age checks using their own technological methods during use.
In the event of a suspicion that an account is being used by a child under the age of 15, the account will be temporarily suspended and re-verification via e-Government will be requested.
Measures targeting parental accounts
A two-way control mechanism has been designed against the possibility of children using their mothers' or fathers' accounts.
Social media platforms will periodically make redirects, keeping control at the highest level with the participation of both the ministry and the platforms.
Age estimation with artificial intelligence technologies
To identify risks in existing accounts, platforms will deploy artificial intelligence-powered technologies.
Approximate age estimation will be made using various methods such as content analysis, language, behavior, usage hours, images, and audio.