Türkiye’s under-15 social media ban: age checks and sanctions

From 1 November 2026, social network providers may not serve children under 15 in Türkiye. We explain age verification, rules for users aged 15–17 and the sanctions platforms face.

This article reflects Additional Article 4 of Law No. 5651 and the Regulation on Age-Specific Separated Services for Children and Age Verification by Social Network Providers, published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) of 10 October 2026, as in force on 2 November 2026. The official texts could not be accessed directly when this article was prepared, so some details are taken from secondary sources; please check the full text in the Official Gazette before relying on it. The Turkish version of this article prevails.

Since 1 November 2026, social media in Türkiye works under new rules. Social network providers may no longer offer their services to children under 15, and users aged 15 to 17 must receive a restricted, “separated” version of the service. The rules apply to every domestic and foreign platform accessible from Türkiye and also affect businesses that advertise to Turkish audiences.

What has changed?

The legal basis is Additional Article 4 of Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Internet Publications. It was amended by Law No. 7578, adopted on 22 April 2026 and published in the Official Gazette on 1 May 2026. Under the amended provision, a social network provider may not offer its services to children who have not reached the age of 15 and must take the necessary measures, including age verification, to ensure this. The statute contains no exception based on parental consent.

The implementing details are set out in a regulation prepared by the Presidency of Cyber Security (Cumhurbaşkanlığı Siber Güvenlik Başkanlığı) and published in Official Gazette No. 33396 of 10 October 2026. The obligation-creating provisions of the statutory amendment and the regulation both took effect on 1 November 2026.

How does age verification work?

Age is verified through e-Devlet, the Turkish government’s online services portal. At the user’s request, e-Devlet generates a verification token, which the user then submits to the platform. The token shows only the age threshold passed, not the user’s identity, and may be used solely for age verification. A separate token route is reported to be available for foreign nationals staying in Türkiye temporarily.

For new accounts, verification takes place at sign-up and applications from under-15s are rejected. For existing accounts, platforms have until 31 March 2027; accounts found to belong to under-15s will then be closed. Users may challenge the verification result or an account closure free of charge, through a Turkish-language process that includes human review. Content and personal data are not deleted while a challenge is pending.

Rules for users aged 15 to 17

Accounts of users who are 15 or older but still minors will be private by default and cannot be made public. Only accounts they follow may message them, and their follower and following lists are hidden from others. They cannot live stream, and their personal data may not be used for profiling or personalised advertising. Platforms must also give parents tools to monitor and limit screen time, approve in-app purchases and set spending limits.

Sanctions for platforms and what they mean for advertisers

Sanctions target the social network provider, not parents or children. The provider is first notified of the breach and given a reasonable period to remedy it. If it fails to comply, the authority designated in the Law may impose an administrative fine of up to 3% of the provider’s global turnover for the previous calendar year. If the breach continues 30 days after the fine is served, Turkish-resident taxpayers are barred from placing new advertisements with that provider: no new advertising contracts may be concluded and no related payments may be made. If non-compliance continues three months after the advertising ban, a criminal judgeship of peace (sulh ceza hâkimliği) may be asked to throttle the platform’s bandwidth by 50%, and by up to 90% if the breach persists.

Once an advertising ban is imposed, new contracts and payments with that platform become impossible. Businesses offering products or services aimed at young people should also review their targeting and data processing in light of Turkish personal data protection law.

What should you do?

Families: if your child already has an account, watch for the platform’s verification request before 31 March 2027 and be ready to use the e-Devlet token. A wrongful closure can be challenged free of charge.

Platforms and technology companies: age verification, separated service settings, parental controls, the Turkish-language appeal process and data processing records must be aligned with the regulation. Companies in the telecommunications and technology sector should also plan their options under Turkish dispute resolution procedures in case enforcement measures are taken.

Frequently asked questions

Assessment

The framework ties child protection online to a statutory age limit and links sanctions to global turnover. How it works in practice will become clearer through implementing guidance and the first enforcement actions. For questions on compliance by platforms or advertisers, you can contact us.

Sources

• Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete), 10 October 2026, No. 33396 (index)
• Habertürk – 15 age limit for social media (1 November 2026, in Turkish)
• Hürriyet – Social media age regulation published (10 October 2026, in Turkish)
• Webtekno – Social media ban for under-15s (12 October 2026, in Turkish)
• Law No. 5651 Additional Article 4 – amendments by Law No. 7578 (compilation, in Turkish)
• Elçi Law – Under-15 social media ban and e-Devlet age verification (in Turkish)
• Kult Law – 15 age limit on social media (in Turkish)