Turkey will bar children under 15 from using social media starting in November, joining a widening international push to keep minors off the platforms.
Politico Europe reported on the 10th that the Turkish government had released the details of legislation blocking access to social media platforms for children under 15.
The law also prohibits providing services that could be addictive to minors aged 15 and older. Passed by Turkey's parliament in April, it takes effect on Nov. 1. Social media companies must put in place technical and administrative measures, including procedures to verify users' ages.
The European Union in September issued a legislative proposal restricting the use of social media and video-sharing platforms by children under 15. Austria, Denmark, France, Greece and Spain are also pursuing their own regulations.
Britain plans to introduce legislation next year limiting children's use of social media. Canada is continuing to debate a bill that would block access for those under 16.
Turkey has meanwhile drawn criticism from human rights groups for routinely blocking the personal social media accounts of news organizations and activists. In 2024, it cut off access to Instagram for a week over what it said was censorship of posts mourning Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an Israeli attack. More recently, courts ordered the blocking of news websites and social media accounts that they determined were linked to LGBT propaganda.
Freedom House, the international human rights organization, rated Turkey's internet environment as "not free" in 2025.