Report from Politico
In Brief – Turkey has banned social media access for children under 15, with the law taking effect November 1st following its passage by Parliament in April. Social media platforms must implement “necessary technical and administrative measures, including age verification” that is required to use a government-issued token. The legislation also establishes restrictions for teenagers over 15, prohibiting platforms from offering services that could have “an addictive effect” to users under 18. The Turkish Government is noted for its willingness to impose strict restrictions on social media. A 2025 report by Freedom House, a US-based think tank, characterized Turkey’s internet environment as “not free”, reflecting broader concerns about restrictions on online expression and access to information. In 2024, Ankara blocked Meta’s Instagram for a week amid allegations that the platform censored users mourning Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. More recently, Turkish authorities blocked news website T24 and its social media accounts over what a court characterized as “LGBT propaganda.”
Context – Critics have long argued that social media platforms are dangerous, harmful and addictive, especially for teens. Age-based restrictions, led by Australia’s 16-year-old age limit, are taking off around the world. France was a first mover in Europe and other member states have followed, Greece most recently with a 15-year-old age limit. Free-speech concerns are a nagging issue in some jurisdictions. The French Constitutional Court struck down that country’s age regime in August and First Amendment scrutiny of social media regulation in the United States is likely to reach the Supreme Court eventually. The European Commission is considering a multi-tiered regime that eschews a simple Australia-style age cut-off and is more in-line with Brazil’s Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents. Finally, Turkey’s social media regime joins interventions in developing countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Ecuador and Egypt who have younger populations and more authoritarian governments. They may prefer that teens have less access to news.