Türkiye forms working group for under-15 social media regulations

ANKARA

Türkiye has established a working group to determine how new social media regulations targeting children under the age of 15 will be implemented, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş has said.

Speaking after a panel held at the Turkish parliament, Göktaş said the ministry had launched the group to oversee the implementation of the legislation and was continuing consultations with relevant institutions and organizations.

She said the ministry was working in coordination with public bodies and other stakeholders to finalize the principles of the regulation and would soon introduce a bylaw detailing how the system would operate before putting it into practice.

According to Göktaş, the new framework for social media use among children under 15 would not be limited to legal regulations alone, adding that technical infrastructure and implementation mechanisms were also being prepared comprehensively.

The minister also said technical studies were underway to determine which age verification methods would be used by social media platforms under the new legislation. She noted that the law would introduce obligations for social network providers regarding services offered to children under the age of 15.

Gaming platforms will also not be permitted to offer games that have not been properly rated according to established procedures under the new regulations.

The remarks came as Türkiye moves forward with efforts to regulate children’s access to social media platforms and strengthen online safety measures for minors.