Turkey restricts access to social media for children under 15

Turkish lawmakers have passed a bill that restricts access to social media for children under 15.

The Associated Press writes about this.

Its passage comes a week after a 14-year-old boy in the southern Turkish province of Kahramanmaraş shot dead nine students and a teacher at a high school. Police are investigating the online activity of the attacker, who also died, to determine his motive.

By law, digital platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and others must block account creation for children under 15 and implement parental controls. They must also implement age verification systems and respond quickly to content deemed harmful.

Online game developers will be required to appoint a representative in Turkey to monitor compliance with the rules. Violations will be subject to fines and possible internet speed restrictions by the regulator.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 15 days to sign the law into law for it to take effect. After the events in Kahramanmaraş, he spoke of the need to reduce online risks to childrenʼs safety and privacy.

The main opposition party, the Republican Peopleʼs Party (CHP), criticized the initiative, saying that children should be protected "not with prohibitions, but with rights-based policies".

Mass ban on social media for children around the world

In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under the age of 16. The countryʼs authorities explained their decision by saying that social media can harm children — for example, affecting their physical and mental health.

In January, France supported in the first reading a bill to ban social media for children under 15. The bill will then be considered by the Senate (the upper house of parliament) — if it makes any changes, the document will be voted on again in the National Assembly.

The UK and Spain also want to ban social media for children under 16, Greece will introduce such a ban next year. And Ireland has launched a test phase of a digital wallet with an age verification function, which should limit teenagersʼ access to social media.

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