Türkiye tightens social media rules for children under 15

Türkiye is tightening regulations on children's access to social media, with new rules requiring platforms to prevent users under 15 from accessing their services amid growing concerns over cyberbullying, online harassment and young users' safety.

The regulation, published Saturday, introduces new obligations for social media platforms, including age verification and measures to block underage account creation.

The measures will take effect on Nov. 1, following legislation passed by parliament in April to strengthen safeguards for minors online.

Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas, who played a key role in introducing the restrictions, has repeatedly warned that social media platforms treat children as commercial assets, stressing the government's responsibility to protect young people from potential online harm.

According to a 2024 survey by the Turkish Statistical Institute, 91.3 percent of children aged six to 15 in Türkiye used the internet, while 66.1 percent used social media.

Experts say exposure to inappropriate content and cyberbullying have become major concerns for parents and educators.

The new rules place greater responsibility on platforms to verify users' ages, prevent underage access, provide age-appropriate services for older teenagers, offer parental-control tools, and safeguard personal data.

They stipulate that existing accounts must undergo age verification, with platforms required to complete the process by March 31, 2027.

Meanwhile, the rules extend to online gaming, requiring appropriate age ratings for all games, and unrated games may only be offered to adults under the highest age-classification category.

Analysts say the effectiveness of the new framework will depend in part on how age verification is implemented. Platforms will need to establish reliable methods of verifying users' ages while minimizing the collection and retention of sensitive personal data.

Türkiye's move comes amid broader international efforts to strengthen online protections for children. Australia has introduced a minimum-age requirement for social media use, while several European countries have debated or pursued age-based restrictions and additional safeguards for younger users.

Türkiye tightens social media rules for children under 15

Daniel, a Russian vlogger residing in Zhejiang, has expressed his admiration for the high efficiency and smooth operation of the local public service in the eastern Chinese province.

Having lived in China for over a decade, Daniel has witnessed the progress China has made in public services. The adoption of convenient technologies has made life easier, and given foreigners a greater sense of belonging.

According to Daniel, even bureaucratic processes have become less daunting.

After receiving a new passport recently, he went to a local offline public service center to update his information on his Chinese social security card.

Staff there verified the spelling of his passport name, visa information and insurance records, then helped print a new card once everything was confirmed.

"This is my old card, the new one is already being made. Many foreigners in China can actually have access to these social security card services. You can use it to see a doctor, ride the subway and bus and even scan it at many cultural and tourism sites. It's very convenient," said the vlogger.

Many cities in China offer a similar swift response to public complaints, with citizens calling a hotline or reporting issues online. The government quickly responds and follows up to resolve them.

"The 12345 city services hotline here in Zhejiang actually offers English support on weekdays. So foreigners who don't speak Chinese can still easily get their point across. Honestly, little details like that give me a real sense of belonging here," Daniel said.

Russian vlogger impressed by efficient, convenient public service in Zhejiang