Turkey Passes Law Banning Social Media for Children Under 15

Turkey's parliament has passed sweeping legislation banning social media for children under 15, becoming the latest country to join a growing global movement restricting young people's access to digital platforms. The bill, passed on Wednesday, requires social media companies to implement age-verification systems and block account creation for anyone below the age threshold, positioning Turkey alongside Australia, France, Greece, and Portugal in adopting similar child-protection frameworks.

The legislation introduces substantial compliance requirements for technology platforms operating in Turkey. Social media providers must establish mandatory age verification systems to prevent under-15s from creating accounts, while offering differentiated, age-appropriate services for users aged 15 to 18. Parents will gain oversight capabilities, including the ability to manage account settings, approve or restrict in-app purchases, and monitor screen time. Platforms will also face obligations to prevent deceptive or harmful advertising targeting minors and to respond to emergency content removal requests within one hour.

The timing of the law's passage carries particular significance. According to reports, the legislation comes one week after a deadly school shooting in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, where a 14-year-old killed nine students and a teacher. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose party introduced the bill, has called social media a threat to children's safety and mental well-being, citing the need to mitigate online risks to young people.

If President Erdoğan signs the bill within his 15-day window, social media providers will face the restrictions beginning in October 2026—six months after the law's publication in Turkey's Official Gazette. The legislation applies to major platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as online game companies, which will be required to appoint representatives in Turkey to ensure compliance.

Enforcement mechanisms are significant. Companies failing to comply within 30 days of receiving administrative fines will face advertising bans. Continued violations could trigger court-approved bandwidth reductions ranging from 50 to 90 percent, effectively throttling platform access across the country. Turkey's communications watchdog, the BTK, will oversee enforcement of these penalties.

Despite government framing the measure as child protection, political opposition has emerged. The main opposition CHP party has criticized the legislation as a political censorship tool rather than genuine child protection, pointing to Turkey's history of blocking Instagram and Roblox and restricting platforms during previous political tensions. The bill also runs parallel to a separate government initiative requiring identity verification for all Turkish citizens using social media, raising broader digital rights concerns among critics.