Under-15 Social Media Ban and e-Government Verification Details
In line with the decision published in the Official Gazette, accounts for those under 15 are banned on social networks in Turkey, while various restrictions are introduced for ages 15-18 and adult age verification via e-Government becomes mandatory.
A new regulation published in the Official Gazette is set to fundamentally change the terms of social media use for children and adults. According to information shared by content creator Mert Bayantemur, the rules taking effect on November 1, 2026, outline different restrictions based on age groups and e-Government-based verification mechanisms.
Effective Date of the Regulation
The new legal regulation published in the Official Gazette, which introduces radical changes in the field of social media, will be officially implemented for all users and network providers as of November 1, 2026.
Account Ban for Under-15s
Within the framework of the new rules to be implemented, requests by children under the age of 15 to open new accounts on all social network providers accessed from Turkey will be directly rejected by the system.
Restrictions for Ages 15-18
Users between the ages of 15 and 18 will continue to use social media, but their accounts will be kept private by default. Individuals in this group will not be able to broadcast live streams or see personalized ads.
Infinite Scrolling and Messaging Limits
Young users will not be able to consume content through infinite scrolling and will only be able to receive messages from accounts they follow. In addition, their follower and following lists will not be visible to other users.
Mandatory Parental Control Tools
Platforms will be legally required to provide parents with advanced control tools such as managing account settings, limiting daily usage time, and allowing paid transactions.
e-Government Verification for Adults
Adult users will be required to have their age verified for their existing and new accounts, and this process will be completed between November 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027.
Privacy-Focused Token System
Age detection will be carried out via a special token generated through the e-Government Gateway, which will only indicate whether the age limit has been met and will not share personal identity information such as first and last name.
Regulation for Foreign Nationals
For foreign nationals temporarily residing in Turkey, a separate and special age verification token mechanism operating via passport information will be put into effect.