ANKARA (AP) – On late Wednesday, Turkish lawmakers approved a significant bill aimed at restricting access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15, according to reports from state media. This legislation aligns with a growing global trend focused on safeguarding young individuals from potential threats and harmful activities that exist in the online environment.
The passage of this bill follows a tragic incident that occurred a week earlier, when a 14-year-old boy perpetrated a deadly attack at a middle school in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, resulting in the deaths of nine students and a teacher. The police are currently investigating the online activities of the assailant, who also lost his life during the attack, in an effort to better understand his motives.
The newly passed legislation mandates that social media companies implement age-verification systems to prevent minors from creating accounts. Additionally, it requires these platforms to provide parental control tools, enabling guardians to monitor and manage their children's access to content deemed harmful. Furthermore, the companies are expected to respond promptly to flagged harmful content, according to the Anadolu news agency.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan must sign the bill within 15 days for it to become law. Following the tragic events in Kahramanmaras, Erdogan emphasized the necessity of addressing online risks that could jeopardize the safety and privacy of children. In a televised address, he stated, "We are living in a period where some digital sharing applications are corrupting our children's minds and social media platforms have, to put it bluntly, become cesspools."
The proposal has faced criticism from the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), which argues that children should be safeguarded "not with bans but with rights-based policies." The opposition contends that focusing solely on restrictions fails to address the underlying issues affecting children’s safety online.
As part of the law, popular digital platforms—including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram—will be required to prevent users under the age of 15 from opening accounts. They will also need to incorporate comprehensive parental control features to monitor and limit children’s access. In addition, online gaming companies must designate a representative in Turkey to ensure compliance with these new regulations.
Failure to comply with the regulations could result in severe repercussions, including the reduction of internet bandwidth and penalties imposed by Turkey’s communications authority. The Turkish government has established a history of regulating online platforms, particularly during times of civil unrest when online communications were restricted.
This legislative trend is not isolated to Turkey. In December, Australia began implementing similar restrictions, blocking access for children under 16 on various social media platforms. Consequently, about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children were revoked. More recently, Indonesia enacted a regulation prohibiting children younger than 16 from using digital platforms that could expose them to potential dangers such as pornography, cyberbullying, scams, and online addiction.
Several European countries, including Spain, France, and the United Kingdom, are also evaluating or enacting measures to constrict children’s access to social media in light of increasing concerns regarding the adverse effects of unregulated online content on young users.
As nations worldwide grapple with the implications of social media exposure on youth, Turkey's legislation signifies an urgent effort to confront these challenges and protect children from the potential risks lurking in the digital landscape.
