Ministry of National Education prepares to file lawsuit against Meta citing children's development
The Ministry of National Education is preparing to initiate legal proceedings against Meta, citing negative effects on children's pedagogical and academic development. Minister Yusuf Tekin drew attention to the impact of social media on the perception of violence, pointing to international examples.
The Ministry of National Education (MEB) has started preparations to file a lawsuit against Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, on the grounds that it harms children's development. Emphasizing the negative effects of social media on children, Minister Yusuf Tekin pointed to similar legal initiatives in the United States and the European Union as examples.
In the process carried out by the Ministry's Directorate General of Legal Services, it was stated that despite the bans on mobile phone use in schools, children encounter age-inappropriate content in the home environment. Minister Tekin demanded that Meta regulate or approve the content in such a way that children cannot access it.
Field research conducted by the Ministry revealed striking data regarding the psychological effects of social media on children. Approximately 80 percent of students who stated they were exposed to violence expressed that not being liked on social media or being excluded from a group is evaluated within the definition of violence.
It was stated that instructions were given by the President to take measures to eliminate the risks posed by social media on children, primarily virtual gambling. Minister Tekin's statements were associated in various sources with press meetings held after the 12th Ankara Erzurum Promotion Days or a visit to the United Arab Emirates.