Social Media Use for Under-15s Banned in Turkey by Official Gazette Decision
A new regulation aimed at increasing the digital safety of children has come into effect. While individuals under 15 are prohibited from opening social media accounts, an e-Government verification requirement has been introduced for the 15-18 age group.
A new legal regulation regarding the use of social media by children under 15 in Turkey has been published in the Official Gazette and has entered into force. With the decision, citizens under the age of 15 are prevented from opening accounts, while various restrictions and verification processes have been implemented for young users.
Details of the New Enacted Regulation
The new law regulating children's use of social media in Turkey has officially come into effect. With this legal arrangement, platform access requirements for specific age groups have been completely renewed.
Ban Decision for Children Under 15
According to the enacted law, citizens of the Republic of Turkey who have not reached the age of 15 will not be able to open any social media accounts or use these platforms.
Conditions for Youth Between 15-18
Users in the 15 to 18 age group will be required to perform age verification via the e-Government system in order to use social media platforms.
Restrictions and Audit Measures Introduced
Restrictions on features such as privacy, live streaming, and infinite scrolling will be applied to the accounts of young people who have undergone age verification, and parental control mechanisms will be integrated.
Transition Process and Important Dates
Starting from November 1, 2026, opening a social media account for individuals under 15 will be completely banned. The deadline for existing accounts to complete age verification has been set as March 31, 2027.