Türkiye published new rules on children’s use of social networks in the Official Gazette dated October 10, 2026, issue number 33396. The regulation, prepared by the Presidency’s Cyber Security Directorate, states that social network providers may not offer services to children who have not reached the age of 15. It will take effect on November 1, 2026, and will apply to both new and previously created accounts.
Age verification through the e-Government Gateway
Social network providers must check a user’s age category during account creation using an “age verification token” generated through Türkiye’s e-Government Gateway. Instead of sending a person’s full identity information to the platform, the system is designed to reveal only whether the relevant age threshold has been met. Verification methods must be technically reliable against false declarations and manipulation, while also protecting personal data.
New account requests must be rejected when the check shows that the child is under 15. Accounts opened before the regulation takes effect and not yet checked with the token will receive a transition period ending on March 31, 2027. Providers must verify those accounts at least once by that deadline. Existing accounts identified as belonging to users under 15 will be closed.
A separate service for users aged 15 to 17
Users who are at least 15 but have not yet turned 18 will not be removed from social networks entirely. Platforms must instead provide a differentiated service designed around children’s development and safety needs. Their accounts will be private by default, with stronger privacy settings applied automatically. Child users will not be able to start livestreams, and personalised advertising will not be permitted on those accounts.
Messaging and visibility features will also work differently from adult accounts. Children may receive messages only from accounts they follow. Other users will not be able to view a child account’s follower or following lists. Phone address books, contact lists and connections imported from other platforms may not be matched with child accounts. These measures are intended to limit exposure to unknown users and reduce the visibility of children’s social networks.
Parental controls will be mandatory
Platforms will have to provide accessible parental-control tools in Turkish. Parents will be able to manage account settings, limit time spent on the service and require approval for paid memberships or purchases. Providers are expected to configure the overall service according to the verified age group, coordinating privacy, communications, advertising, livestreaming and payment functions rather than treating age verification as a stand-alone sign-up step.
The regulation’s data-protection approach is based on avoiding the direct disclosure of identity information to social platforms. The age token is intended to show only which threshold a user meets. This is designed to prevent providers from collecting identity data that is not needed for the age check. Information obtained through the process may not be repurposed in ways that disadvantage child users.
The regulation covers domestic and foreign social network providers accessible from Türkiye. Platforms must also establish a free, accessible and Turkish-language appeal mechanism for disputes involving age-verification results, account closure or suspension and other restrictions. Users or their parents will be able to challenge measures imposed on an account through this channel.
Two key dates
Age verification for new accounts and the child-specific service requirements will begin on November 1, 2026. The deadline for previously created accounts is March 31, 2027. Although the regulation has now been published, its main service restrictions are not yet in force. That distinction is important because the effective date of the new rules and the end of the transition period for older accounts are separate.
The transition does not call for social networks to close every existing account immediately. Providers must first run the age-verification process and classify an account as adult, belonging to a user aged 15 to 17, or belonging to a child under 15. The differentiated-service requirements will apply to verified child accounts in the relevant age group.
The practical impact will depend on how social network providers build systems capable of working with the e-Government token and classify their existing accounts during the transition. The framework is intended to improve children’s online safety while placing detailed responsibilities on platforms in areas including data minimisation, default privacy, messaging, advertising, livestreaming, payments and parental oversight.
