Will Türkiye Introduce New Social Media Rules for Children Under 16?
Türkiye is preparing to introduce new regulations aimed at safeguarding the safety of young users on social media platforms.
A new law restricting access to social media for children under 16 could come into effect this year. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that the work on this initiative is nearing completion.
Under the proposed law, minors will only be allowed to register and use social media platforms with the written consent of their parents or legal guardians.
Minister Uraloğlu highlighted that discussions about setting age limits for social media access—typically ranging between 13 and 16 years—are ongoing globally.
“We are carrying out this process in collaboration with relevant ministries and institutions. We have focused on the age of 16 and are working on measures to ensure the conscious protection of our children. We want young people to dedicate more time to education and personal development. Once they reach 16, they can use social media platforms at their discretion,” said the minister.
Uraloğlu also noted that this decision is based on recommendations from psychologists and successful practices in other countries where similar restrictions have proven effective.
Social media platforms will be required to implement mechanisms to verify user age and obtain parental consent. Companies that fail to comply with these requirements will face fines.
