Starting November 1, children under 15 in Türkiye will no longer be allowed to use social media under new rules rolled out by the country’s Presidential Cybersecurity Office.
The new regulation requires social media platforms to verify the age of all users through Turkiye’s official government portal, e-Devlet. The age check will confirm whether a user meets the 15-year limit without exposing their personal identity or private details.
Platforms must verify existing accounts by March 31, 2027, and any account belonging to a user under 15 will be closed.
New Rules for Teen Users
For teenagers aged 15 and older, accounts will automatically default to private settings. Under the new restrictions, these teen users cannot:
a) Host live streams
b) Receive targeted advertisements
c) Get direct messages from strangers
Social media companies must also offer easy-to-use parental control tools and ensure their age-checking algorithms are transparent and testable. Authorities stated the move aims to protect children’s privacy, mental health and emotional development online.
