Under-15 Social Media Ban Takes Effect in Türkiye
Türkiye will ban social media use for children under 15 from Nov. 1, requiring platforms to introduce age verification and other child-protection measures.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Türkiye has formally introduced a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, with the restrictions scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1, according to Agence France-Presse.
The decision was published in the country's official state journal on Saturday following legislation adopted by parliament in April.
Under the new rules, social media companies will be required to introduce technical and administrative safeguards, including age-verification systems, to prevent under-15s from accessing restricted services.
The legislation states that platforms must take the necessary measures to implement protections for children and young people.
It also says that "no service likely to produce an addictive effect in children may be offered."
The measure places Türkiye among a growing number of countries moving to restrict young people's access to social media amid concerns over the effects of prolonged and unregulated use of online platforms.
Australia has already introduced restrictions, while Britain and France are also considering or advancing measures aimed at strengthening protections for children online.
Supporters of such policies have pointed to concerns including excessive screen use, sleep disruption, cyberbullying and eating disorders.
Türkiye's new rules, however, are also being introduced against a broader debate over online freedoms in the country.
Rights organizations have criticized restrictions on freedom of expression in Türkiye, particularly measures affecting LGBTQ communities, journalists and political opposition groups.
Numerous social media accounts have also been blocked in recent weeks, according to AFP.
The new under-15 restrictions therefore combine a stated child-protection objective with wider questions over how online regulation is implemented and how far authorities should go in limiting access to digital platforms.
Social media companies now face the task of introducing age-verification and other safeguards before the Nov. 1 implementation date.
The law does not provide further technical details in the supplied material on how age verification will operate in practice or what penalties platforms could face for failing to comply.