Legislation approved by parliament awaits presidential sign-off to take effect.
Turkish legislators have approved a new proposal that would prohibit all users below the age of 15 from accessing social networking sites. Under the proposed rules, digital platforms must implement strict age-checking systems, offer parental supervision features, and accelerate the removal of dangerous material.
According to The Associated Press, the measure was introduced following two tragic school attacks in the nation, which led authorities to arrest 162 individuals suspected of distributing videos of the incidents online.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now has a 15-day window to sign the legislation into law, following his public criticism of online networks as “cesspools” during a national broadcast.
In addition to major social networks, AP notes that online gaming providers will also be forced to restrict youth access, with violations potentially resulting in fines and reduced internet speeds.
This marks another instance of Turkey clashing with digital platforms. Instagram was previously blocked in 2024 due to content related to Hamas, with access restored roughly a week later. During that same period, the government also banned Roblox citing concerns over child exploitation, with officials also citing “promotion of homosexuality” as a justification.
Turkey has also temporarily restricted access to Twitter (now X) multiple times, most recently following the 2023 earthquakes, though the specific reasons for the block were not always clear.
The push to restrict under-15s from social media aligns with a growing global movement. Nations such as Greece and Austria have enacted similar laws, following Australia’s pioneering ban on under-16s last year. The UK has also considered stricter regulations.
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