Turkish Lawmakers Pass Bill to Limit Social Media Access for Kids Under 15

ISTANBUL (AP) — Late Wednesday, Turkish lawmakers approved a bill aimed at limiting access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15, according to state media reports.

This new legislation is part of a broader trend globally aimed at shielding young people from potentially harmful online behavior.

The timing of this bill follows a tragic incident where a 14-year-old boy committed a shooting at a middle school in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, resulting in the deaths of nine students and a teacher. In the aftermath, authorities are scrutinizing the perpetrator’s online activities to understand his motives.

The new law mandates that social media companies implement age-verification systems, provide parental control tools, and quickly address any content identified as harmful, as reported by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

For the bill to become law, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan must endorse it within 15 days. Following the shootings in Kahramanmaras, he highlighted the urgent need to combat online dangers that threaten children’s safety and privacy.

“We are in a time when certain digital applications are damaging our children’s minds, and frankly, social media has turned into a breeding ground for negativity,” he said in a recent televised address.

The main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has criticized this bill, arguing that protecting children should focus on rights-based approaches rather than bans.

If enacted, the law will require platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram to restrict account creation for those under 15 and enforce parental controls to regulate children’s access.

Furthermore, online gaming companies will need to designate a representative in Turkey to ensure compliance with these regulations. Penalties for noncompliance may include reduced internet bandwidth and fines from Turkey’s communications regulatory authority.

The Turkish government has a history of restricting access to online platforms, particularly those used for dissent. Such restrictions were notably prevalent during protests for Istanbul’s imprisoned opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, last year.

Australia initiated limitations on social media access for under-16s in December, leading to the removal of approximately 4.7 million accounts associated with children.

Meanwhile, Indonesia recently began enforcing regulations that prevent children younger than 16 from accessing digital platforms that may expose them to inappropriate content or online dangers.

Several other nations, including Spain, France, and the UK, are also considering or have adopted measures to limit children’s social media access amid increasing concerns over their exposure to unregulated content.