Social media ban for under-15s and protective model in juvenile justice

Within the scope of legal regulations aimed at protecting children from dangers in the virtual world and violence in schools, social media services will be banned for individuals under 15 as of November 1, and age verification systems will be made mandatory.

According to the legislative regulation passed by the TBMM, social network providers will not be able to provide services to children under the age of 15 as of November 1 and will be obliged to implement age verification systems. For young people over the age of 15, a special service separated from adults with enhanced security will be offered. Under the supervision of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK), platforms will also make parental control tools available. Evaluating the issue, Lawyer Kaan Bayramzade stated that according to the research by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), 82 percent of young people have a social media account hidden from their families, and noted that privacy loopholes make abuse invisible.

The other pillar of the November 1 reform constitutes the juvenile justice reform of the Ministry of Justice. Following the school attacks in Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş, the ministry is specially training juvenile prosecutors and expanding juvenile bureaus in order to prevent children from being dragged into crime.