Turkey has officially begun enforcing a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under the age of 15, making it the latest country to impose strict age limits on children's access to online platforms.

The restrictions took effect Sunday, November 1, under regulations requiring social media companies to prevent children below the age threshold from creating accounts. The rules apply to major platforms and are part of a broader effort by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government to strengthen protections for minors online.

Under the new requirements, users must verify their ages through Turkey's e-Devlet digital government system. The verification process is designed to confirm whether someone has reached the required age without providing social media companies with personal identification information such as names or national identification numbers.

Existing accounts will not immediately face mass suspensions. Platforms have until March 31, 2027, to complete age verification for current users. Accounts identified as belonging to children under 15 will ultimately be closed, while users whose ages are incorrectly identified will have access to an appeals process requiring human review.

Teenagers between 15 and 18 will still be permitted to use social media, but their accounts will face additional restrictions. Accounts will automatically be set to private, direct messages will be limited to people they follow, and follower lists will remain hidden. Read receipts will be disabled, personalized advertising will be prohibited, and certain features, including livestreaming and continuous scrolling through short-form videos, will face restrictions.

The regulations also require social media companies to provide parental control tools allowing parents to manage account settings, monitor usage time, establish spending limits, and approve certain paid transactions. Companies must also establish accessible procedures for parents and users to challenge age-verification decisions and account restrictions.

Platforms that fail to comply could face penalties under Turkey's existing internet legislation. The rules also establish requirements for companies to demonstrate that their age-verification systems protect personal information and can be reviewed by regulators.

Turkey's parliament approved the underlying legislation in April as part of a wider push to address concerns about children's exposure to harmful online content, cyberbullying and exploitation. Erdogan has argued that social media companies must do more to protect young users, particularly as children spend increasing amounts of time on digital platforms.

The legislation has also drawn criticism from opponents who argue that restrictions on young people's access to online services could affect freedom of expression and access to information. Critics have raised concerns about the government's broader authority over digital platforms, particularly given Turkey's history of restricting online services during periods of political unrest.

Turkey joins a growing list of governments pursuing age-based restrictions on social media. Australia introduced a ban for children under 16 in December 2025, while Greece, Indonesia and Malaysia have also adopted restrictions targeting younger users. Other countries, including Britain and several European nations, are pursuing similar measures.

The Turkish rules establish a two-tier system that completely bars children under 15 from social media while allowing older teenagers to participate under stricter privacy and safety requirements.