Turkey Sets 15-Under Social Media Ban, Age Checks Due Nov. 1
Providers must verify ages and add parental controls as officials cite risks including screen addiction, bullying and eating disorders.
- On Saturday, Turkey's Cyber Security Directorate published regulations in the Official Gazette banning social media services for children under 15, effective Nov 1.
- Legislation passed by the Turkish parliament in April provides the legal basis; Turkey joins Australia, Britain, and France in legislating to protect children from digital risks like addiction and bullying.
- Providers must 'take the necessary technical and administrative measures, including age verification, to implement' protections; the regulation dictates companies 'cannot provide services to children who have not reached the age of 15.'
- Rights groups have expressed concern that these measures restrict freedom of expression, potentially targeting LGBTQ communities and political opposition; numerous accounts were blocked in recent weeks.
- Providers must ensure verification methods and algorithm structures are 'clear, auditable and testable for users, parents and the directorate' while developing user-friendly parental control tools to meet the Nov 1 deadline.
47 Articles
47 Articles
Turkey officially prohibits access to social media platforms for children under 15 years of age. The law was published on Saturday, after the Turkish Parliament adopted the draft in April. The new rules will come into force on 1 November, according to News.ro, which quotes Politico.
Türkiye bans social media access for children under 15
ANKARA — Türkiye has banned social media platforms from providing services to children under the age of 15 under new regulations published Saturday in the country's Official Gazette.The regulations, issued by the Cyber Security Directorate, prohibit social network providers from allowing children below the age threshold to access their services.Social media providers "cannot provide services to children who have not reached the age of 15," the r…
Turkey announced on Saturday the ban on the use of social networks by children and adolescents under the age of 15, joining a growing number of countries that have adopted similar measures. The decision was published in the Official Gazette, after the adoption of a law in this regard, in April. The measure will enter into force on 1 November. Social media platforms must take the necessary technical and administrative measures, including age veri…
Turkey will restrict access to social media for children under 15. The new rules will come into effect on November 1, 2026, and platforms will have to verify the age of users through the state e-Devlet electronic services system. The relevant regulation was published in the Turkish state newspaper Resmi Gazete. “Providers cannot provide services to children under 15 years of age,” reads the text of the regulation, quoted by the Anadolu Agency. W…
The official bulletin published the decision, following the adoption of a law to that effect in April. It will be effective on 1 November. Social media providers must "take the necessary technical and administrative measures, including age verification, to implement" this protection mechanism for the youngest, indicates the text published in the official bulletin. "No service can be proposed that could produce an addictive effect on children," h…
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