Newsletters
Türkiye will bar children under 15 from social media starting Nov. 1 and require platforms to verify every new user’s age through the state’s e-government portal, under a regulation published Saturday in the country’s Official Gazette.
The regulation, issued by Türkiye's Cybersecurity Presidency, also orders social networks to give 15- to 17-year-olds specially restricted accounts with strict privacy settings, limits on messaging and a ban on personalized advertising.
Under the rules, social network providers must verify users’ ages when accounts are created, using a digital token generated through e-Devlet, Türkiye's online government services portal.
The token will show only whether a user meets the age thresholds of 15 and 18, not any identity details, and platforms may not use it for any other purpose.
Requests to open accounts will be rejected if the applicant is found to be under 15. If a platform has reasonable suspicion that someone is using an account in violation of the age limits, it must suspend the account and require age verification before it can be used again.
Existing accounts that have not yet been verified must be brought into compliance by March 31, 2027.
Accounts for users 15 to 17 will be private by default, with no public option. Other users will not be able to see who a teen follows or who follows them.
Teens will receive messages only from accounts they follow, and read receipts will be banned.
Platforms must also use technical measures to block screenshots of teens’ profile photos, posts and images.
The rules also take aim at features designed to keep users scrolling. Teen accounts may not include autoplay or endless-feed designs that serve content automatically or with each swipe, tap or click.
Platforms may not tailor accounts to a child’s behavior, and teens’ personal data may not be used for profiling.
Companies must also adjust filtering and recommendation systems to limit teens’ exposure to content that could harm their physical, psychological, or emotional development.
Companies that fail to comply will first be notified of the violation and given a reasonable period to fix it, depending on its nature.
Penalties will take into account the seriousness and duration of the violation, the number of children affected and the platform’s efforts to comply. The regulation does not specify the penalties in the material provided.
Platforms must also set up an appeals process for age verification decisions, account suspensions or closures, and other measures taken under the child-specific service rules.
Appeals must be accepted in Turkish, be free of charge, and be accessible. They cannot be decided by automated systems alone and must receive human review.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
5 min read
