Türkiye introduces social media ban for children under 15
Türkiye has introduced new regulations prohibiting social media platforms from providing services to children under the age of 15, Qazinform News Agency cites Anadolu.
The rules, issued by the country's Cyber Security Directorate and published in the Official Gazette on Saturday, require social network providers to restrict access for users who have not yet turned 15.
For minors aged 15 and older, platforms must introduce age-appropriate services and safeguards that take into account their best interests and physical, mental, psychological, social, and emotional development.
The regulations also establish requirements for age verification, emphasizing the protection of users' personal information. Platforms must use methods that confirm whether a person meets the minimum age requirement without unnecessarily identifying them.
Social media companies are also required to ensure that their age verification systems, underlying algorithms, and child protection policies are transparent, verifiable, and open to scrutiny by users, parents, and the Cyber Security Directorate.
In addition, providers must offer clear and accessible parental control tools to help families manage children's online activities.
The new measures follow social media legislation adopted by the Turkish parliament in April.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Kazakh Government had drafted amendments to existing legislation regulating the registration of users under 16 on online platforms.