Social media age verification regulation increases fraud risk

The age verification regulation for social media use by children under 15, which will begin on November 1, 2026, has become a target for malicious actors. The Presidential Communications Directorate's Center for Combating Disinformation has issued an official warning against fraud attempts that use this process to seize citizens' financial and personal information.

Under the regulation, social media services will not be provided to children under the age of 15, and age verification will be carried out via e-Devlet. Scammers are manipulating this process with expressions that create a sense of urgency, such as "Your account will be closed" or "Verify your age immediately." It has been stated that one should be cautious against these attempts that try to mislead users through fake SMS, emails, and social media links.

Authorities emphasized that age verification procedures should only be performed through the official e-Devlet website at https://www.turkiye.gov.tr or the official e-Devlet mobile application. A warning was issued that personal information should not be entered into any links outside of these channels.