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The Cybersecurity Presidency published a regulation in the Official Gazette on October 10, 2026 that prohibits social media platforms from providing services to children under 15 with the rules scheduled to enter into force on November 1. Platforms must implement technical and administrative measures including age verification to prevent underage access according to the published text. The regulation follows legislation adopted by parliament in April that aimed to shield minors from online risks such as addiction and exposure to harmful content.
Social network providers will verify ages for new accounts through a digital token generated via Türkiye’s e-Devlet portal that indicates only whether users meet the relevant age thresholds without disclosing personal identity details. The Cybersecurity Presidency’s rules require platforms to reject registration requests from those found to be under 15 while existing accounts suspected of belonging to underage users must undergo verification. Platforms have until March 31, 2027 to complete checks on current accounts with those confirmed as under 15 subject to closure a Turkish Minute report noted.
Users aged 15 to 17 will receive segmented services designed around their developmental needs with accounts set to private by default and no option for public visibility under the regulation. These accounts prohibit personalized advertising, livestreaming and infinite-scroll features while restricting messaging to only followed accounts and hiding follower lists from others. The rules also mandate parental control tools that enable guardians to set screen time limits, manage settings and approve transactions according to details outlined in the Official Gazette.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed the legislation during its parliamentary passage in April describing social media platforms as having become harmful environments for young minds. The measure forms part of broader government efforts to address concerns over cyberbullying, sleep disruption and other impacts associated with prolonged online exposure. A New York Times report from April detailed how the bill amends multiple laws and requires platforms to appoint representatives in Türkiye for those with large user bases.
Türkiye has a record of imposing social media restrictions including a week-long Instagram ban in 2024 over alleged censorship and recent blocks on sites accused of spreading certain content according to multiple accounts from outlets including POLITICO and Reuters. The latest regulation aligns with a global trend toward tighter age limits on digital platforms. Australia has enacted a ban for those under 16 while Britain and France have advanced similar proposals to curb potential harms a GEO TV dispatch indicated.
The Cybersecurity Presidency document specifies that age verification tokens cannot be used for purposes beyond compliance and must protect user privacy throughout the process. Platforms face obligations to suspend accounts upon reasonable suspicion of age violations until verification occurs. These layered requirements seek to balance protection with functionality for adolescent users while enforcing the outright prohibition for the under-15 group.
