Türkiye bans social media for children under 15 years old

Türkiye has officially declared a ban on the use of social media for children under 15, which will come into effect on November 1.

The country has joined a growing number of countries enacting laws to protect children and teenagers from the harmful impacts of online platforms.

The country’s official journal published the decision on Saturday after the law was passed by parliament in April.

The regulations stipulate that social media providers must “take necessary technical and administrative measures, including age verification, to implement” protections for young people.

“There are no services that are likely to cause addictive effects in children.”

Countries including Australia have imposed social media restrictions for children and other countries such as the UK and France are also trying to do the same.

The goal of the program is to protect children from digital risks such as screen addiction, sleep deprivation, bullying, and eating disorders.

Human rights groups complain about restrictions on freedom of expression in Türkiye targeting the LGBTQ community, the media and the political opposition. Many social media accounts have been blocked in recent weeks.