Türkiye bans social media accounts for children under 15
Türkiye has barred social media platforms from serving children under 15, with the new rules coming into force on Sunday, 1 November 2026.
From today, platforms must check a new user’s age at sign-up, using a digital token from e-Devlet, Türkiye’s online government services portal. The token only shows whether the person has passed the age limits of 15 and 18, and shares no personal details. Sign-up requests from under-15s must be turned down.
The rules were published in the Official Gazette on 10 October 2026 and were drawn up by the Presidential Cyber Security Directorate. They follow a law passed by Türkiye’s parliament in April.
Children who already have accounts get more time. Platforms must finish checking existing accounts by 31 March 2027, and any account found to belong to a child under 15 must be closed.
Teenagers aged 15 to 17 can keep using social media, but with stricter limits. Their accounts will be private by default, with content filters switched on. They will not see personalised advertising or be able to start livestreams, and endless scrolling feeds will be switched off. Only accounts they already follow can send them messages.
The rules cover major platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord and Reddit, Bytes Europe reports. Companies that break the rules face fines of up to 3% of their global revenue, advertising bans and cuts to their internet bandwidth.
Why it matters
Türkiye is one of the first countries to set the age line at 15 and to run the age check through a government system. Australia went further, starting enforcement of a minimum age of 16 in December 2025, and other countries are watching both experiments closely.
The big question is enforcement. Experts warn children could get round the checks with a parent’s account or a virtual private network (VPN), and age limits alone will not remove the risks children face online. How strictly Türkiye fines platforms that fail to comply will show whether the rules have real teeth.
What happens next
Platforms must now check every new sign-up, while existing accounts must be checked by 31 March 2027. Watch for the first fines, and for whether other governments copy the e-Devlet token model.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://lifenewsagency.com/turkeys-social-media-ban-for-children-under-15-takes-effect-with-e-devlet-age-checks/ (Life News Agency, 1 November 2026)
- https://www.biometricupdate.com/202610/turkiye-plans-digital-id-wallet-pilot-for-2027-as-age-verification-expands (Biometric Update, 30 October 2026)
- https://www.byteseu.com/2441366/ (Bytes Europe, 10 October 2026)
