22.04.2026 14:54
AK Party member Şengül Karslı addressed opposition parties from the rostrum of the Turkish Grand National Assembly during discussions on a bill aimed at restricting social media platforms for children under the age of 15. Karslı said, 'Can a child have the freedom to be a slave to algorithm merchants?'
AK Party Istanbul Deputy Şengül Karslı spoke at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey regarding digital addiction and cyberbullying, which have become Turkey's bleeding wounds.
Karslı, who reacted harshly to criticisms of the bill presented to the Parliament that imposes strict restrictions on social media platforms for children under 15 and introduces a monitoring mechanism for those aged 15-18, reminded of the painful incidents that occurred in Siverek and Kahramanmaraş, which plunged all of Turkey into mourning.
"THE DIGITAL WORLD IS A GIGANTIC SIEGE THAT GRINDS THE HUMAN SOUL"
Karslı called for the new legal regulation aimed at protecting children from digital dangers to be kept "above politics," stating, "The digital world is a gigantic siege that grinds the human soul. Yesterday, the danger entering a child's room came from the end of the street. Today, it comes from the device in their pocket. Yesterday, families would lock the door and protect their child. Today, even if the doors are locked, invisible doors remain wide open."
HALF OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE AT RISK
Expressing that BTK data reveals the extent of digital danger among youth, AK Party's Karslı said that approximately half of high school students are at risk of social media addiction. Karslı highlighted the scale of the danger by stating that children grow up "in a completely different world, on screens where it is unknown who is suggesting what," despite living in the same house with their parents.
"CAN THERE BE FREEDOM TO BE POISONED IN FRONT OF A SCREEN?"
Karslı responded to claims of "interference with freedoms" by saying, "For God's sake, which freedom? Can there be freedom for a child to be a slave to algorithm merchants? Can there be freedom to writhe in the clutches of cyberbullies, to mistake violence and hatred for a game? Can there be freedom to be poisoned in front of a screen? Freedom is being able to break the chains of addiction."
"LEAVE POLITICAL FIGHTS OUTSIDE THE DOOR"
Reminding that countries like Australia, France, the United Kingdom, and Denmark have also implemented similar restrictions, Karslı emphasized that Turkey must be a shield for its children against this global erosion.
At the end of her speech, emphasizing that the issue is above political parties, Karslı turned to the opposition benches and said, "There is no ruling party in this matter... There is no opposition at all. Today is the day of decision. Come, leave your political fights and daily interests outside the door of this hall. It is time to make the will of the Grand National Assembly a shield for our nation's children."