Türkiye approves law restricting children's use of social media platforms
The Turkish parliament has passed new legislation aimed at regulating the digital space, including strict measures to restrict children's use of social media platforms. This move comes as part of the Turkish government's efforts to protect minors from increasing digital risks, impose rigorous identity verification mechanisms, and tighten control over digital content available to underage users.
Details of the law restricting children's use of social media platforms
Under the new legislation, children under 15 will be completely barred from accessing social media networks. Once this law takes effect, companies operating these platforms will no longer be able to offer their usual services to this age group. Instead, they will be permitted to provide secure, customized digital services exclusively for children over 15, while adhering to strict data protection and privacy standards.
In a parallel move, the law requires digital platforms to provide advanced parental control tools, such as setting daily usage limits and requiring prior parental consent for any purchases or subscriptions. The law also extends to online gaming platforms, which are now obligated to remove any content that has not been properly age-rated according to established guidelines.
The global and local context for regulating the digital space
This Turkish move did not come in a vacuum, but rather falls within a growing global trend aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech companies and protecting the mental health of teenagers. Historically, the past few years have witnessed similar moves in several countries, such as the United States, Australia, and the European Union, all of which sought to impose laws requiring platforms to verify users' ages. Domestically, Turkey has a long history of regulating the internet; in 2020, Ankara passed a law requiring social media companies to appoint local representatives in response to concerns about digital sovereignty and abusive content. The current law is a natural extension of these policies, but this time it focuses directly on the most vulnerable group: children, responding to repeated calls from educational and psychological experts to reduce cyberbullying and digital addiction.
Expected local and international impacts of the decision
This legislation has far-reaching implications. Domestically, it is expected to contribute to a safer digital environment for Turkish families, reducing children's exposure to inappropriate content and giving parents greater control over their children's online activity. Regionally and internationally, Turkey is positioning itself at the forefront of countries taking decisive legislative action against tech giants. This trend may encourage other countries in the Middle East and Europe to adopt similar legislation, placing immense pressure on global platforms to modify their algorithms and infrastructure to comply with age verification requirements. Furthermore, this law will present technical and legal challenges for companies, which will be required to develop effective identity verification solutions that do not compromise the privacy of adult users. Failure to do so will result in severe financial and administrative penalties, potentially including the blocking of their services or restrictions on their operations within Turkey.
