Turkey has formally introduced a ban on social media use by children under the age of 15, with the new restrictions scheduled to take effect on November 1, joining a growing list of countries seeking to protect young people from potential online harm.
The decision was published in Turkey’s official state journal on Saturday, following the passage of legislation by parliament in April.
Under the new law, social media platforms must introduce measures to prevent children below the age threshold from accessing their services. These include technical and administrative safeguards, such as age-verification systems.
The legislation also prohibits services considered likely to have addictive effects on children.
“No service likely to produce an addictive effect in children may be offered,” the law states.
The move comes amid growing international concern about the effects of social media on children and teenagers, including excessive screen time, sleep disruption, cyberbullying and eating disorders.
Australia has also introduced restrictions on children’s access to social media, while the United Kingdom and France have been pursuing measures aimed at limiting young people’s exposure to potential online risks.
Governments backing such restrictions argue that stronger safeguards are necessary to protect children from harmful content and the possible consequences of prolonged social media use.
However, the measures have also raised questions about how platforms will verify users’ ages, enforce restrictions and protect personal information collected during age checks.
Turkey’s decision comes amid wider concerns about freedom of expression in the country. Rights groups have criticised restrictions affecting LGBTQ communities, journalists, media organisations and political opponents. Numerous social media accounts have also reportedly been blocked in recent weeks.
The new law therefore adds to an ongoing debate over how governments can protect children online while safeguarding access to information and freedom of expression.
The effectiveness of the restrictions will depend partly on how social media companies implement age-verification systems and enforce the new requirements when the ban takes effect on November 1.
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