06.01.2026 12:51
The Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, said, "We are sending our omnibus bill, which includes social media regulations for those under 15 years old, to the relevant committee in the Parliament at the end of this month." According to the regulation, children under the age of 15 will not be able to open accounts.
Minister Göktaş answered questions from journalists after the Cabinet Meeting. Minister Göktaş stated that they aim to impose responsibility on social media platforms through legal regulations regarding the age limit for children on social media. Göktaş noted that they proposed to impose an obligation on social network providers not to provide services or open accounts for children under the age of 15 and to establish effective filtering systems to protect children from harmful content.
"WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR 1.5 YEARS"
Göktaş reported that many countries have taken measures to protect children from the risks they may encounter in the digital environment, mentioning that Australia has banned social media access for children under 16. "We must not allow social media platforms to use our children as a commercial commodity. We cannot remain spectators to this situation. We have been working on this issue for 1.5 years. We have conducted studies with experts, academics, social media platforms, non-governmental organizations, and most importantly, families and our children. We are sending our draft bill, which includes social media regulations for those under 15, to the relevant committee in the Parliament at the end of this month," he said.
"PART OF THE CHILD PROTECTION SHIELD"
Stating that social media leads to severe depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders in children, Göktaş said, "We know that gangs reach children through certain social media platforms and lead them to crime. Therefore, this regulation can be seen as part of the child protection shield. While our children benefit from the opportunities offered by digital media, we are responsible for protecting their minds and souls. Protecting our children, who are the guarantee of our future, from all kinds of risks and threats, and harmful content is our top priority," he expressed.
"WE INTERVENED IN 2,904 CONTENTS"
Göktaş mentioned that they launched the 'Children Safe' website and mobile application last month to support children's digital safety, stating, "With this platform, we provide safe content and guidance services to children and their families under one roof. Emergency assistance can be called with a single button through the application. Additionally, we are creating a safe digital space for children with the DUY (Friendly Applications for Children) reporting platform. With our Social Media Working Group, we detect harmful content that we monitor 24/7 and make necessary interventions immediately. In this context, we directly intervened in 2,904 contents. We see the content, go to court. After the court evaluates it, the BTK imposes access restrictions. But we want social media platforms to do this proactively," he stated.