Türkiye eyes social media age limit amid security concerns
Türkiye is preparing new nationwide regulations that would set 15 as the minimum age for social media use, with lawmakers from both the ruling bloc and opposition expressing broad consensus on what senior officials describe as a growing national security concern.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair and head of culture and arts policies Hüseyin Yayman said on Tuesday that Parliament is drafting legislation to introduce binding legal limits on children’s access to social media platforms, alongside stricter oversight of illegal online betting, digital copyright, and nationwide digital literacy standards, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.
“There is a very strong consensus across political parties,” Yayman said. “We all have children. Protecting them has become a common responsibility. A serious initiative has emerged, and this will be turned into a parliamentary regulation.”
He added that draft preparations are continuing under the coordination of AK Party parliamentary leaders and relevant ministries, with plans to present a bill to the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) in the near term.
Government officials increasingly define social media as a national security matter, citing its growing role in the spread of harmful content, digital dependency, and financial exploitation.
“Social media is no longer simply a communication tool. It has become a platform that directly affects public order, family structures, and national values,” Yayman said.
He pointed to official data showing that people in Türkiye spend an average of seven hours online daily, with roughly four hours on social media. He noted that the time spent online, particularly by minors, increases exposure to content promoting violence, substance abuse, illegal gambling, prostitution, and ideological campaigns that undermine social and religious values.
“These platforms have increasingly turned into hubs of harmful influence,” he said.
Rejecting a laissez-faire regulatory approach, the government is moving toward legally binding frameworks imposing governance standards on global digital platforms operating in Türkiye. Yayman said protecting children, families, and women constitutes a “red line” and that regulatory firmness should not be confused with censorship.
“If protecting children and families is considered restrictive, then yes, we will take a firm position,” he said.
While emphasizing regulation, Yayman added that legal bans alone are insufficient. He said the government is developing a nationwide digital literacy strategy to be integrated into the national education curriculum. Discussions are underway with the Ministry of National Education to teach children responsible and critical digital usage from an early age.
In parallel with the social media age limit, lawmakers are advancing legislation on digital copyright. The proposed framework aims to protect institutional journalism, ensure transparency in advertising algorithms, and require multinational technology firms to comply with the same regulatory standards in Türkiye as they do in Europe and the U.S.
“These companies must be subject to the same obligations here as they are in Berlin, Paris, London, and Washington,” Yayman said.
Another priority is illegal online betting and gambling, which Yayman described as a growing national security problem. Public complaints have surged, and families are facing financial losses due to widespread access to illegal gambling networks via social media platforms.
“There is a legal dimension, a financial dimension, and a social dimension,” he said. “These networks drain national wealth, undermine family stability, and weaken social values.”
The government is preparing legal, financial, and institutional measures to restrict illegal gambling content on social media, increase platform accountability, and expand enforcement mechanisms.
Yayman stressed that digital companies, public institutions, and families must act as coordinated stakeholders to restore public order and protect children online.
“People expect decisive and comprehensive measures,” he said. “We are working on this issue with that sense of responsibility.”
The draft legislation covering social media age limits, digital copyright, and illegal gambling is expected to be introduced to Parliament following technical and inter-ministerial consultations.
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