Turkey Introduces Mandatory Social Media Age Verification for Children

Turkey will require social media platforms to verify users’ ages from November 1, while introducing stricter privacy, advertising and content restrictions for teenagers.

Social media platforms operating in Turkey will be prohibited from providing services to children under 15 from November 1, 2026, under a new regulation published in the Official Gazette on October 10.

The regulation, prepared by the Presidential Cyber Security Directorate, establishes mandatory age verification, special protections for users aged 15 to 17, and new parental control requirements for social media providers.

Existing accounts must undergo age verification by March 31, 2027. Accounts found to belong to children under 15 will be closed.

Age Verification Through e-Devlet

Platforms will be required to verify users’ ages when accounts are created, using an age-verification token generated through Turkey’s e-Devlet government portal.

The system is designed to establish whether a user meets the relevant age threshold without requiring platforms to receive identifying information such as the user’s name.

The requirement will apply to both domestic and international social networks covered by the regulation.

New Restrictions for Teenagers

Users aged 15 to 17 will be able to access social media through services specifically designed for their age group, but these accounts will face significant restrictions.

Accounts will be private by default and cannot be made publicly accessible. Teenagers will not be permitted to livestream, and platforms must introduce technical measures to prevent others from taking screenshots of their profiles and posts.

Platforms will also be prohibited from displaying personalised commercial advertisements to these users or processing their personal data for profiling purposes.

The regulation additionally targets features designed to encourage prolonged use. Infinite-scrolling interfaces, which allow content to flow continuously as users swipe or scroll, will be restricted for these accounts.

Children will only be able to receive messages from accounts they follow, while other users will not be able to view their follower and following lists. Platforms must also introduce filtering and protective recommendation systems to reduce exposure to potentially harmful content.

Greater Parental Control

Social media providers will have to offer parental control tools in Turkish, enabling parents to manage account settings, monitor and limit screen time, and approve paid transactions such as subscriptions and purchases.

These requirements are intended to give families greater control over children’s online activities while placing more responsibility on platforms to provide age-appropriate services.

Implementation Begins November 1

The regulation takes effect on November 1, 2026. Platforms must complete age verification for existing accounts by March 31, 2027, while age verification will be required for new accounts under the new system.

The measures represent a significant change in how social media platforms must operate in Turkey, particularly in their treatment of younger users. Their implementation will require platforms to adapt their age-verification systems, account settings and content-delivery features to meet the new requirements.