Türkiye tightens social media rules: Accounts of children under 15 to be banned; rule effective from November 1..

Türkiye has taken a significant step to protect children from the potential dangers of social media. Starting November 1, children under the age of 15 will be prohibited from using social media in the country. Under the new regulations, social media companies will be required to verify the age of new users via a government digital portal. Additionally, strict rules regarding private accounts and messaging will be implemented for adolescents aged 15 to 17.

**Age Verification via Government Portal**
According to the regulations published in Türkiye's Official Gazette, social media platforms must verify a user's age when creating a new account. To facilitate this, a digital token will be issued through the country's 'e-Devlet' government portal.
This token will merely indicate whether or not the user meets the age requirement of 15 or 18 years; no other personal identification details will be shared. Companies will be prohibited from using this token for any other purpose.

If a user is found to be under 15, their request to create an account will be rejected. Existing accounts must also be brought into compliance with the new regulations by March 31, 2027.

**Stricter Rules for Adolescents Aged 15–17**
Under the new rules, accounts belonging to adolescents aged 15 to 17 will be set to 'private' by default, with no option to make them public. Other users will not be able to see whom these adolescents follow or who follows them.

Adolescents will only be able to receive messages from accounts they follow themselves. Features such as 'read receipts'—which notify the sender when a message has been read—will be prohibited. Furthermore, technical measures must be implemented to prevent the taking of screenshots of their profile photos, posts, and images.

Restrictions on Auto-play and Unlimited Scrolling
The regulations also address features that encourage users to remain constantly engaged with social media. Features such as auto-play and unlimited feeds should not be present on accounts belonging to adolescents.

Companies will be prohibited from profiling children based on their activities or using their personal data for such purposes. Platforms will also be required to modify their content filters and recommendation systems to minimize the exposure of adolescents to content that could harm their physical, mental, or emotional development.

Action Against Companies Violating Rules
Companies that fail to comply with the regulations will first be notified of the violation and given time to rectify the issue. When determining the course of action, factors such as the severity and duration of the violation, the number of children affected, and any remedial measures taken by the company will be considered.

Furthermore, companies must provide a mechanism for appealing decisions regarding age verification and the suspension or closure of accounts. Appeals must be accepted in the Turkish language and processed free of charge. These cases cannot be reviewed solely by automated systems; human oversight will also be mandatory. Through these regulations, Turkey aims to enhance online safety for children and ensure the accountability of social media companies.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we modified it for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.