Turkey Sets Social Media Age Limit at 15 With e-Devlet Verification

Turkey published a regulation in the Official Gazette on Oct. 10 that prohibits children under 15 from opening social media accounts and mandates age verification through the e-Devlet government portal. The rule takes effect Nov. 1 for new accounts, while existing users must complete verification by March 31, 2027, or face account closure.

Users aged 15 to 17 will receive "segregated service" with default private profiles, no live streaming, no personalized ads, and disabled infinite-scroll algorithms. Screenshots of their content will be technically blocked, and they can only receive messages from accounts they follow.

Platforms must verify age using a token from the Presidency's Cyber Security Directorate via e-Devlet, confirming only whether the user is above 15 and 18 thresholds without sharing full identity data. The regulation applies to all platforms accessible from Turkey, both domestic and foreign.

Parents will gain control tools to manage account settings, limit screen time, and approve paid transactions. The Cyber Security Directorate prepared the regulation to strengthen children's online safety.