In a significant development, Turkish lawmakers have passed a bill that sets new restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 15. This legislation, passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly, amends the existing Social Services Law and other related laws. The new rules mandate social media platforms to prevent service access to young users below the age threshold and require measures such as age verification to enforce the ban. Additionally, platforms are instructed to create tailored, age-appropriate services for users over 15, and to transparently share these measures online.
An important component of the legislation is the introduction of parental-control tools on social media platforms. These tools empower parents to oversee account settings, approve financial transactions like purchases or subscriptions, and monitor or restrict the time their children spend online. For platforms with over 10 million daily users in Türkiye, there is a stipulation to comply with urgent content removal orders within an hour, aiming to further shield young users from harmful content.
The bill, pending approval from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has a 15-day window to ratify it, has faced criticism. The main opposition, the Republican People’s Party, has voiced concerns about the bill’s approach, arguing for rights-based protective measures over blanket bans. There are apprehensions regarding the potential ineffectiveness of the law, as children might circumvent these restrictions using adult accounts or virtual private networks. The opposition suggests that more nuanced solutions are necessary, considering how easily users can navigate around these barriers.
Contextually, this legislative step follows Türkiye’s history of exerting control over digital platforms, notably during political unrest. Concerns echo from digital rights organizations that broad online restrictions could suppress dissent and curtail information freedom. The government’s focus on tightening online protections for children comes amid global discussions on similar issues. In a recent incident that cast a spotlight on online activity, Türkiye seeks to prevent influences like those that may have been involved in a school shooting in Kahramanmaraş, as highlighted here.
This move resonates with international trends; Australia, for instance, enacted under-16 restrictions in 2025, though faced criticism and challenges in compliance. Indonesia implemented similar regulations in March. These measures, rooted in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, emphasize weighing the best interests of the child in the digital sphere.