22.04.2026 11:54
The 'VPN restriction' that the AK Party wanted to add to the proposal banning social media for those under 15 could not be included in the proposal text because it did not receive CHP's support. AK Party's Leyla Şahin Usta said, 'We will not be able to add the additional articles that impose restrictions to prevent children from continuing to play games via VPN to the proposal text because the opposition did not support them.'
Following the attack in Kahramanmaraş, the AK Party reviewed the bill imposing social media restrictions for those under 15. The bill is still being debated in the General Assembly, and efforts were made to add VPN restrictions in such cases. A three-article text was prepared and presented to the opposition.
AK Party Deputy Group Chair Leyla Şahin Usta explained the opposition's stance to Haberler.com: “In such situations, we will not be able to add the additional articles that propose restrictions to prevent children from continuing to play games via VPN, because the opposition did not support them.”
“THE OPPOSITION ALSO OPPOSES THE SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR UNDER 15”
Leyla Şahin Usta emphasized that the opposition also opposes the regulation for under 15, stating, “We have three articles regarding the inability of those under 15 to access social media and digital platform games. They insist, 'Remove these.' They say, 'You are restricting freedoms. You are trying to silence children and young people. You are imposing such a ban to raise a uniform type of person.' They persistently demanded the withdrawal of the law. They are delaying the law by constantly requesting roll-call votes.”
“WE WANTED TO ADD AN ARTICLE ON VPN”
AK Party Deputy Group Chair Usta, who noted that after the massacre in Kahramanmaraş, they prepared a proposal to add VPN restrictions to the limitations on gaming sites, described their discussions with the opposition as follows:
“Since Friday, I have been working on this. I sent it to all deputy group chairs of the opposition. It was a three-article regulation concerning sanctions for gaming sites that do not comply with the rules and blocking access to VPN. We said, 'Look at this, if you have any suggestions or proposals, we are open, bring them.' To add articles, a consultation board decision and signatures were required, and we wanted to include these three articles. Unfortunately, they did not accept.”
“WE CANNOT ADD VPN TO THE BILL BECAUSE THE OPPOSITION DID NOT APPROVE”
Leyla Şahin Usta noted that CHP members do not express the views they voice in closed meetings during their General Assembly speeches, and continued:
“The VPN regulation cannot come to the consultation board because they did not approve it. To add an article, all political groups needed to support and sign it. However, they did not. In this case, the bill would need to be withdrawn from the General Assembly and sent back to the committee for further review, which would take time. There are many people waiting for maternity leave regulations, and many waiting for social media regulations. As for the VPN regulation, we will quickly bring our next package and enact it. I think they should be held accountable to society for this.”