Politics · Turkey · 1 day ago
Turkey plans social media age checks and limits for users under 18
Turkey plans new social media rules for people under 18 to reduce risks to children online.
Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said users will verify their age through the government’s e-Devlet system when opening an account.
Platforms will also keep checking ages and may temporarily suspend accounts if they suspect a user is under 15.
Users aged 15 to 18 would face limits on certain features, including livestreaming, screen recording and design features that encourage repeated scrolling.
The rules would also limit who can message a child and allow read receipts to be turned off.
The government says the measures aim to protect children from online risks, including sexual abuse, commercial exploitation and screen dependence.
The rules are due to take effect on November 1, with platforms given until March 31, 2027, to adapt.
Turkey plans to require social media users to verify their age through the e-Government system before opening an account.
Users aged 15 to 18 would face restrictions including no live broadcasts, screen recording or features such as continuous scrolling.
The rules are due to take effect on November 1, with a compliance period lasting until March 31, 2027.
Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said the measures aim to protect children from online risks, including sexual abuse, commercial exploitation and screen addiction.
The plan also includes separate mechanisms and higher privacy settings for children’s accounts.
- Who
- Turkey’s Family and Social Services Ministry, led by Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, is proposing the rules for social media users under 18.
- What
- The plan requires age checks through e-Government and restricts some features for users aged 15 to 18.
- When
- The rules are due to take effect on November 1. A compliance period runs until March 31, 2027.
- Where
- On social media platforms in Turkey.
- Why
- The government says the rules are intended to protect children from digital risks, including sexual abuse, commercial exploitation and screen addiction.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The regulation is due to take effect, according to Göktaş.
The temporary compliance period is due to end, after which the age-verification system will be used.
- Minimum age verification
- Users must verify through e-Government that they are at least 15 to open an account.
- Users aged 15 to 18
- Would not be able to livestream or record their screens, and would face limits on scrolling features.
- Compliance period
- Until March 31, 2027
- Planned start
- November 1
- Child-account privacy
- Separate mechanisms and higher privacy settings are planned.
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What people are saying
From then on, they will be able to log in with the tokens we issue.
We are creating a structure that will protect their physical, mental, developmental, psychological, social and emotional development.
The aim here is to protect children and especially to keep them away from structures that create addiction.