By Tendai Keith Guvamombe
In a decisive move toward digital child safety, the Turkish Parliament passed comprehensive legislation late on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, restricting social media access for children under the age of 15. The bill, which received significant backing from the ruling AK Party, marks one of the most stringent regulatory shifts in Turkey’s digital landscape. Lawmakers cited the growing prevalence of cyberbullying and digital addiction as primary drivers, following a period of intense public debate that began when the draft law was first introduced on March 4, 2026.
Under the new law, social media giants like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are strictly prohibited from allowing children under 15 to create or maintain accounts. To ensure compliance, the legislation mandates the implementation of robust age-verification systems. In a notable technical shift, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek confirmed on April 21, 2026, that verification would likely be integrated with the country’s e-government portal (e-Devlet), requiring a two-step verification code to prove a user’s real-world identity before accessing social networks.
For adolescents aged 15 to 18, the law introduces a “differentiated service” model. While this group can still access social media, platforms are now required to provide mandatory parental control tools. These features allow parents to monitor usage time, supervise account settings, and provide explicit approval for any financial transactions. Furthermore, foreign-based gaming platforms with over 100,000 daily users in Turkey must now appoint a local representative to ensure they adhere to these child protection standards.
The Turkish government has warned that the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) will strictly monitor these platforms. Companies that fail to implement the necessary verification tools face heavy administrative fines and potential bandwidth throttling. Following the parliamentary approval, the law was sent to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who signed it within the 15-day constitutional window.
The regulations are set to enter into full force six months after their publication in the Official Gazette, which occurred in late April. This provides platforms with a grace period until October 2026 to establish the required infrastructure. While government officials argue these measures are essential, the law has sparked significant debate regarding privacy, with critics concerned that linking social media to state-run identity portals could lead to increased mass surveillance.