Turkey has brought a new child-access regime for social networks into force, barring children under 15 from opening accounts and requiring age verification for new users.
The rules took effect on November 1. Social-network providers must verify age through a token-based process linked to the e-Devlet public-services system, without receiving more identity data than is necessary for the check. The immediate requirement applies to new accounts; providers have until March 31, 2027 to bring existing accounts into compliance.
Users aged 15 to 17 must be placed in a child-specific service. Their accounts are private by default, personalised advertising is prohibited and direct messaging is limited to accounts they follow. The regulation also restricts livestreaming for child users and requires accessible parental-control tools.
The regime distinguishes an age-verification result from the broader identity file held by government. Providers are expected to receive a confirmation token rather than unrestricted access to civil-registration information. That design will be central to whether the rules can protect children without creating an unnecessary store of sensitive personal data.
Platforms now face a staged compliance task: block new under-15 registrations, adapt the experience offered to older minors, and review the status of existing users before the March deadline. Enforcement will turn on the duties imposed by the regulation and Turkey’s wider internet-law framework.
The regulation was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey.
