Turkish Parliament Passes Bill Restricting Social Media Use for Those Under 15
The Turkish Parliament passed a bill on Wednesday (April 22nd) evening to restrict access to social media platforms for children under 15, framed by officials as a measure to protect minors from harmful online content. This is the latest move by countries worldwide to tighten regulations on social media use by minors, reflecting growing government concerns about online risks.
This legislation was passed a week after a school shooting: a shooting occurred at a middle school in Kahramanmaraş, southern Turkey, where a 14-year-old boy shot and killed nine students and one teacher, and the perpetrator also died in the incident. Police are investigating his online activities to determine his motive. The shooting shocked the nation and provided political momentum for strengthening online supervision of minors.
According to Turkey’s official Anadolu Agency, the bill requires social media platforms to establish age verification systems, provide parental control tools, and respond quickly to content deemed harmful. The bill has been passed by parliament and will be submitted to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for signature within 15 days. If approved, it will officially take effect. Erdoğan, in a televised address after the Kahramanmaraş shooting, emphasized the need to reduce online risks and protect the safety and privacy of children.
In his speech, Erdoğan bluntly stated that certain digital sharing applications are “corroding the minds of children” and called social media platforms “frankly, a cesspool.” He believes that strengthening regulation is a responsibility that authorities must bear in the current digital age. This statement garnered stronger political support for the bill within the ruling camp.
However, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) criticized the proposal, arguing that the government should not protect children with a “one-size-fits-all” ban, but should promote rights-based policies. Party officials pointed out that balancing the protection of children’s physical and mental health with the preservation of freedom of speech and the right to information remains a controversial point of this legislation.
According to the bill, the platforms covered will include mainstream social media and video platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. These platforms must prevent children under 15 from creating accounts, while also adding parental control functions to monitor and manage the scope and duration of minors’ access to content. Online gaming companies are also required to establish a presence in Turkey to ensure compliance with the new regulations, or they may face bandwidth throttling and fines, enforced by the Turkish communications regulator.
The Turkish government has come under scrutiny in recent years for restricting online platforms. As social media has become an important channel for people to express dissatisfaction and mobilize protests, authorities tightened online communications and platform access during protests last year supporting imprisoned Istanbul opposition mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Critics fear that the new law will further expand government control over cyberspace.
Globally, the trend of restricting social media use by minors is also on the rise. In December last year, Australia pioneered restrictions on social media access for those under 16, with relevant platforms subsequently closing approximately 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children. In March of this year, Indonesia began implementing new regulations prohibiting children under 16 from accessing digital platforms that could expose them to risks of pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and addiction. Spain, France, and the United Kingdom are also taking or considering similar measures, hoping to build a firewall between adolescents and the highly commercialized, algorithm-driven social media environment.