Politics · Turkey · 7 hrs ago
Turkey plans legal action against Meta over child safety
Turkey’s education ministry is preparing to sue Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, over alleged harm to children.
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin said the planned case concerns content on the platforms that he says can affect children’s learning and development.
He argued that school cellphone restrictions do not protect children using social media at home.
Tekin pointed to legal action in the United States and the European Union as examples.
In the United States, an agreement announced in August would require Meta to pay up to $17.1 billion and add safeguards for minors, subject to court approval.
The European Commission has also issued preliminary findings that Facebook and Instagram’s addictive design breached EU rules, saying the companies failed to assess and reduce risks to users’ health.
The ministry’s next step is to bring its planned case, though no timing or further details were given.
Turkey’s education ministry is preparing legal action against Meta over allegations that its platforms harm children’s education and development.
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin announced the plan on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Tekin said the ministry wants social media companies to act more sensitively and raise awareness about risks to children.
He cited children’s experiences on social media as a factor in how they develop perceptions of violence.
The ministry’s legal services directorate is preparing a process, Tekin said.
- Who
- Turkey’s education ministry, led by Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, plans to take legal action against Meta.
- What
- The ministry is preparing a lawsuit over allegations that content on Meta’s platforms harms children’s education and development.
- When
- Tekin announced the plan on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
- Where
- Turkey.
- Why
- The ministry says social media content can harm children’s education and development and affect their perceptions of violence.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The European Commission issued preliminary findings that Facebook and Instagram’s addictive design violated the Digital Services Act.
US state attorneys general announced an agreement under which Meta would pay up to $17.1 billion and introduce safeguards for minors, subject to court approval.
Tekin announced that Turkey’s education ministry was preparing legal action against Meta.
- Company
- Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram
- Ministry
- Turkey’s education ministry
- Minister
- Yusuf Tekin
- Planned action
- Legal action over alleged harm to children’s education and development
- US agreement
- Up to $17.1 billion, subject to court approval
2 sources
What people are saying
We decided to take such a step to act more sensitively on this issue and raise awareness.