Social Media Ban Regulation for Children Under 15 in Turkey
With a decision published in the Official Gazette, a social media ban for children under 15 is being introduced starting November 1, 2026. e-Government-based age verification and new security measures are being implemented.
Within the scope of the regulation published in the Official Gazette to enhance the safety of children in digital environments in Turkey, a social media ban targeting children under the age of 15 will begin to be enforced as of November 1, 2026.
Scope and Date of the Legal Regulation
With the new regulation published in the Official Gazette, important restrictions and rules regarding the use of social media by children are being put into effect in Turkey.
Within the framework of the introduced regulation, social media platforms will not be able to provide services to children under the age of 15 starting from November 1, 2026.
Age Verification System via e-Government
According to the new system, social media platforms will check the ages of users through an age verification token to be generated via the e-Government system.
While completing age verification procedures for existing accounts is mandatory until March 31, 2027, accounts falling below the limit will be closed.
Security Measures for the 15-18 Age Group
The regulation includes various special security measures covering not only those under 15, but also young users between the ages of 15 and 18.
Accounts in this group will be kept private by default, live streaming will be blocked, and personalized advertisements will not be displayed.
Experts' Views on the Regulation
Legal scholar and academic Yaman Akdeniz points out that the age verification system carries the risk of associating social media accounts with identity information.
Kastamonu University faculty member Prof. Dr. Selman Tunay Kamer states that the application aims to protect children and its success depends on the responsibility of the platforms.
International Examples and Similar Practices
A ban application similar to the one in Turkey was launched in Australia in December 2025, restricting children under 16 from opening accounts.
However, since research in Australia shows that children continue to use them even after the ban, the effectiveness of the system continues to be debated.