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Türkiye’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu met Wednesday with Fatih Kafadar, the Head of Government Relations and Public Policy for Türkiye and the Levant at ByteDance/TikTok. The meeting focused on how digital platforms can better support young people in navigating the online world safely, consciously, and productively, including platform responsibilities and areas for cooperation, such as implementing age restrictions on social media.
According to a ministry statement, Uraloglu emphasized the growing risks that young people face in the digital environment, including cyberbullying, online harassment, and exposure to inappropriate content. “We are resolutely continuing our efforts to protect our children and young people from the risks of the digital world and to support them as conscious digital citizens,” he said.
Uraloglu recalled that in a separate meeting with officials from the Ministry of Family and Social Services, they held extensive consultations on regulations targeting social media use by children under the age of 16.
He noted that a gradual regulatory framework is under development, stating, “We are planning separate regulations for children under 13 and for those aged 13 to 16. Through these efforts, we aim to establish stronger monitoring mechanisms against harmful content and increase the responsibilities of digital platforms.”
Governments around the world are increasingly adopting measures to regulate children's access to social media, particularly for those under the age of 16. Australia has led the way with new legislation that blocks users under 16 from joining social media platforms.
In line with this global trend, Türkiye is developing its own regulatory framework, with Minister Uraloglu confirming that authorities are working on policies to restrict social media use among minors, aiming to implement the measures by 2025.
Meanwhile, the Subcommittee on Children’s Rights within the Turkish Parliament is organizing visits to several countries—including Japan, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the United States—to study how international counterparts enforce age-based restrictions on digital platforms.
TWEET: Türkiye’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister meets with TikTok officials as the government works on a draft policy that would introduce age restrictions on social media
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