Turkey's Social Media Ban for Under-15s Starts on 1 November
Platforms must check ages through Turkey's e-government system and close accounts held by younger children. October 10, 2026 - 4:00 pm (Credit: Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye)
Turkey will bar social media platforms from serving children under 15 starting 1 November, according to rules published in the country’s Official Gazette (Inci Ozbek, Bloomberg).
Platforms are required to verify users' ages upon sign-up using a token from Turkey's e-government system. Any accounts belonging to individuals under 15 will be blocked.
Existing accounts must be checked by 31 March 2027, and those held by under-15s shut down.
Strict Limits for Older Teens
Accounts for 15 to 17-year-olds will be private by default and filtered. They cannot display personalized ads or offer livestreaming, and platforms must prevent screenshots of their content. Teens can only message accounts they already follow, and endless scrolling feeds are disabled. Parents must have tools to manage settings, limit screen time, and approve purchases.
The rules apply to platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and Reddit (Daily Sabah).
Fines of up to 3%
Companies that violate these rules face fines of up to 3% of their global revenue, ad bans, and reduced internet bandwidth under Turkey’s internet law.
Turkey joins a growing list of countries attempting to restrict children's access to social media. While Australia led the way with a ban on under-16s, its enforcement has faced challenges.
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