Turkey completely restricts children under 15 from accessing social networks

10 October 2026, 18:28·42·World

At a time when restrictions on digital security and protecting the younger generation from the negative effects of the internet are tightening worldwide, Turkish authorities have also made a drastic decision. Starting November 1 of this year, providing social media services to citizens under the age of 15 will be legally banned within the country.

This regulation not only restricts the opening of new profiles, but also includes mandatory age verification of users in the existing system, creating a safe digital environment for teenagers over 15, and drastically strengthening parental control.

How will age be verified? Integration with the e-government portal

While previously it was sufficient to simply manually indicate the date of birth when registering on social networks, such falsifications will now be prevented:

Identification through the state platform: According to the new rules, every social network is required to verify the user's real age during account creation using a personal identifier via Turkey's electronic government services platform (similar to the e-Devlet system);
Automatic rejection: If the system confirms that the user is under 15 years old, all their requests to create an account will be automatically rejected;
Algorithmic control: Additionally, a special customized internal interface will be provided for users over 15 that restricts content that is mentally and morally harmful.

Global trend: Why are states resorting to such measures?

Turkey's decision is a logical continuation of the global security wave:

Cyber risk and mental health: Numerous international studies show that social networks cause mental health issues in teenagers, including depression, cyberbullying, and difficulty concentrating;
Parental responsibility: The new regulation provides families with additional legal tools to effectively manage children's screen time and ensure their virtual safety.

Experts are closely watching how these strict rules, coming into effect on November 1, will be technically implemented by foreign media giants (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.) and whether this experience will impact other countries in the region.