13.10.2026 13:01
Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş announced that new rules have been introduced for children between the ages of 15 and 18 with the social media regulation. Users in this age group will not be able to start live broadcasts, record the screen, or use the infinite scrolling feature. Only accounts they follow will be able to send messages to children. With the regulation that will enter into force on November 1, age verification via e-Government will be mandatory to open an account.
Minister Göktaş shared the details of the social media regulation after yesterday's Cabinet Meeting. Göktaş stated that addictive features will be removed for users who have turned 15 but are under 18.
NEW RULES FOR AGES 15-18
Speaking after yesterday's Cabinet Meeting held at the Presidential Complex, Göktaş listed the rules for users between the ages of 15 and 18. Göktaş said, "There are important points between the ages of 15-18. For example, some applications will not be available. Features that create screen addiction, such as 'screen scrolling' and 'continuous scrolling back to the top,' will not be available. In addition, screen copying, that is, 'screen recording,' will not be possible, and they will not be able to start live broadcasts. Also, regulations such as 'allowing only the accounts a child follows to send messages' and 'the ability to turn off read receipts' have been introduced."
ADVERTISING EXPOSURE WILL ALSO BE LIMITED
Emphasizing that the removal of features that create screen addiction is a demand from families, Göktaş stated that they want to create a child-friendly ecosystem during the design phase. Göktaş said, "At the very beginning, for example, this screen scrolling and scrolling back to the top did not exist. They were developed later. Preventing children from being constantly exposed to advertising is also part of our regulation."
Arguing that with this regulation they have protected children from the social media environment until the age of 18, Göktaş used the following statements: "Our aim here is to protect children and especially to keep them away from structures that create addiction."
NO ACCOUNTS UNDER 15, E-GOVERNMENT VERIFICATION IS MANDATORY
Göktaş said that on social media, only users who verify through e-Government that they have turned 15 can open an account. Noting that the regulation is clearer than those in other countries, Göktaş made the following statement: "Because we have a strong system like e-Government. According to the new regulation, users who want to open an account on social media platforms for the first time will be directed to the e-Government system for age verification. The user will receive a digital code from e-Government that verifies information about their age. Through this code, they will be able to complete the age verification process and create an account on the social media platform."
SUSPICIOUS ACCOUNT TO BE SUSPENDED
Stating that age verification will not be limited only to account opening, Göktaş continued as follows: "Social media platforms will continue to estimate users' ages with their own technological methods and carry out necessary checks while service provision continues. If there is suspicion that an account is being used by a child under the age of 15, the platform will temporarily suspend the account in question and direct the user to perform age verification again through e-Government. Thus, in order to protect children from risks in the social media environment, a two-stage and continuous age verification mechanism will be implemented both at account opening and during use."
"OUR AIM IS MAXIMUM CONTROL"
Underlining that there will be a two-way control mechanism in the regulation, Göktaş said, "Suppose a child logs in with their father's or mother's account. Social media platforms will also be able to redirect from time to time. So, on the one hand they will check, and on the other hand we will check. Our aim here is to ensure maximum control. We are not leaving it solely to social media platforms; we are checking it ourselves. The data will be created entirely through e-Government."
COMPLIANCE PROCESS UNTIL MARCH 31, 2027
Stating that the regulation will enter into force as of November 1, Göktaş announced that platforms have been granted a compliance period until March 31, 2027, under a provisional provision. Göktaş said, "After this date, we will now switch to the verification system. After that, they will be able to log in with the 'tokens' we provide. We have thoroughly informed these social media platforms."
RESPONSE TO FUND INVESTIGATION ALLEGATIONS
Göktaş also responded to allegations made by Ümit Özlale, İzmir MP from the New Party, regarding his family within the scope of the fund investigation. Noting that Özlale, at a press conference, gave a file number and claimed that it belonged to his father, Göktaş said, "While I can access only limited information even to verify an allegation against my family, how and from where did they obtain this information, down to the numbers of investigation files? How did they access information that I cannot access?"