Türkiye Orders Social Media Platforms to Block Users Under 15

Addis Ababa, October 10, 2026 (FMC) — Türkiye has ordered social media platforms to block users under the age of 15 under new regulations aimed at strengthening online protections for children.

Published in the country’s Official Gazette on Saturday, the regulations introduce age-verification requirements and oblige social media service providers to prevent children below the age threshold from accessing their platforms.

The rules also require platforms to apply child-specific protections to accounts belonging to users aged 15, safeguarding their physical, mental, psychological, social and emotional development.

Under the new provisions, accounts belonging to 15-year-olds must have strict privacy settings by default and remain private. Platforms are also required to disable live-streaming features and personalized advertising for these users.

The regulations further require platforms to restrict incoming messages to accounts that children follow and hide their followers and following lists from other users.

Social media providers must also introduce parental-control tools that allow parents to manage account settings, limit usage time and approve paid transactions.

The new regulations are scheduled to take effect on November 1. Platforms must complete age verification for existing accounts by March 31, 2027, and close accounts identified as belonging to users under 15.

The measures form part of Türkiye’s efforts to strengthen child protection online through age verification, privacy safeguards and greater parental oversight.