New rules to shield children on social media coming soon, says minister

ANKARA

Türkiye is close to introducing new regulations aimed at protecting children on social media platforms, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said on Feb. 15.

In a post on Turkish social media platform N Sosyal, Göktaş said the government was nearing implementation of measures as concerns grow over the impact of constant digital stimulation on children.

She warned that attention spans have dropped to around eight seconds — a trend she said harms children more than adults.

Göktaş also said children’s attention spans have fallen by at least 30 percent over the past decade, affecting concentration, friendships and school performance, and making teaching harder.

She said similar rules are being debated or introduced in other countries and called on parents and teachers to support efforts to build a safer online environment for children.

Türkiye has been discussing tighter safeguards for minors amid a broader global push to regulate children’s social media use.