Social media ban for under-15s in Turkey takes effect on November 1
Published in the Official Gazette on October 10, the social media restriction for under-15s and e-Government age verification in Turkey go into effect on November 1.
The regulation restricting social media use for children under 15 in Turkey and mandating age verification via e-Government enters into force on November 1, 2026. Under the regulation published in the Official Gazette dated October 10, 2026, all domestic and foreign social network providers will be subject to the verification system for new account creations.
In the new application, age verification will be carried out through a special token or digital code to be generated via the e-Government Gateway. While social network providers will check whether the user meets the age limit using this method, identity information will not be transferred to the platforms, and only information regarding the age limit will be shared. This verification will be mandatory for new accounts to be opened as of November 1, 2026, and account opening requests of children determined not to have reached the age of 15 will not be accepted.
Existing social media accounts will not be closed directly on November 1, and a period until March 31, 2027, has been granted for compliance and completion of age verification procedures. Following this date, existing accounts determined to belong to individuals under the age of 15 will be closed. In addition, teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 will be able to continue using social media, but additional protection rules such as private accounts, live broadcasting bans, non-personalized ads, and restricted messaging will apply to these accounts. Companies are also obligated to provide parental control tools.