Turkey bans social media for under-15s, joining global crackdown

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Social media and messaging apps are seen on the screen of a smartphone in Kuala Lumpur on January 9, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Isa

By Malay Mail

Friday, 24 Apr 2026 4:49 PM MYT

ISTANBUL, April 24 — Turkey's parliament has passed legislation banning the use of social media for children under the age of 15, making it the latest country to join a growing global movement to restrict minors' access to digital platforms amid rising health and safety concerns.

The new law, passed late on Wednesday, requires social media companies to implement age verification measures, Reuters reported.

It also brings game software platforms under the scope of the regulation, mandating that they classify games based on age criteria and appoint a representative in Turkey.

Turkey's move is part of a worldwide trend that has seen governments from Europe to Asia take increasingly firm stances on the impact of social media on children.

Global wave of restrictions

The global push for regulation has gained significant momentum over the past year. Here’s a look at what other countries are doing:

• Australia: Became the world's first country to pass such a law, banning social media for children under 16, effective from December 2025.
• Malaysia: Announced in November its own plans to ban social media for children under 16, with the new rules expected to start from 2026.
• Indonesia: Began deactivating accounts for users under 16 on "high-risk platforms" like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram from March 2026.
• Britain: Is considering an Australia-style ban for under-16s and is currently testing the impact of social media curfews and time limits.
• France & Austria: Are both moving to ban social media for children under 15 and 14, respectively.
• Brazil: Has already enacted a law requiring minors under 16 to link their social media accounts to a legal guardian.
• United States: While a federal law prevents data collection from children under 13 without parental consent, several state-level laws have faced court challenges on free speech grounds.

Most major social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat, officially require users to be at least 13 years old to sign up.

However, child protection advocates have long argued that these controls are insufficient and easily bypassed.

The European Parliament has also passed a non-binding resolution calling for a harmonised minimum age of 16 for social media access across the bloc.

The wave of new national laws, including Turkey's latest move, places direct responsibility on tech companies to enforce stricter age verification, with many jurisdictions threatening multi-million dollar fines for non-compliance.