Türkiye to submit bill banning social media access for under-15s by month end

ANKARA

Türkiye will submit a draft bill by the end of this month that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş has announced.

Speaking to reporters in Ankara following the cabinet meeting, Göktaş said the proposed legislation, part of a broader omnibus bill, will be sent to the relevant parliamentary committee before being debated in the Turkish parliament.

The draft law aims to place direct legal responsibility on social media companies, requiring them to block users under 15 from opening accounts or receiving services.

Platforms would also be obliged to establish effective filtering systems to prevent children from being exposed to harmful content.

Göktaş said the government has been working on the regulation for around 18 months, consulting experts, academics, social media companies, civil society groups, families and children.

She cited international examples, noting that some countries have already imposed strict limits on children’s access to social media.

“We cannot allow social media platforms to treat our children as commercial products,” the minister said, adding that the government could not remain passive in the face of growing risks in the digital environment.

She warned that criminal groups and gangs have been using social media platforms to contact minors and push them into criminal activity, describing the planned regulation as part of a broader child-protection framework.

Türkiye has also rolled out additional digital safety tools, including a website and mobile application launched last month, which provides guidance for families and allows emergency alerts with a single button.

According to Göktaş, authorities monitor harmful online content around the clock and have directly intervened in nearly 3,000 cases, seeking court orders and access bans where necessary.

However, she said the government expects social media companies to act proactively rather than relying solely on legal enforcement.