Türkiye moves toward restricting social media use for young teens

Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly is discussing a draft law that would ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media.

Under the proposal, platforms would be required to implement verification systems and prevent users under 15 from creating accounts, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

For users above that age threshold, a separate “child mode” with restricted functionality is planned, along with parental control tools ranging from activity monitoring to time limits and account settings management.

The bill’s explanatory note says the measure aims to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and digital addiction.

Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said the initiative has been in preparation for about a year and a half and is now in its final stages, noting that similar restrictions are already being introduced in several countries.

Experts, however, emphasise that bans alone are insufficient, stressing the importance of digital literacy and parental involvement, as family habits play a key role in shaping children’s online behaviour.

Earlier, Greece had already introduced a ban on social media use for children under 15.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov