The Grand National Assembly of Turkey passed a comprehensive legislative package late Wednesday, April 22, 2026, that imposes strict new restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 15. The bill, which was advanced by the governing Justice and Development Party and its allies, mandates that all social media platforms operating within the country implement robust age-verification systems and provide comprehensive parental control tools. The state-run Anadolu news agency confirmed the passage of the bill, which now awaits the signature of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The legislative push was accelerated following a mass shooting on April 16, 2026, in the southern city of Kahramanmaras. In that incident, a 14-year-old boy killed nine students and a teacher at a middle school before the attack concluded with the perpetrator's death. Turkish police and intelligence services are currently conducting a forensic analysis of the minor's online activities to determine the extent to which social media platforms may have hosted content that motivated the violence. The investigation aims to uncover specific digital triggers that may have contributed to the tragedy.
Under the provisions of the new law, social media companies are required to establish mechanisms that verify the age of users with high accuracy. Furthermore, the legislation requires these platforms to respond to government directives regarding the removal of content deemed harmful to minors within a shortened timeframe. President Erdogan, speaking in a televised address on April 20, described the digital landscape as a threat to the national social fabric, stating that certain sharing applications have become cesspools that corrupt the minds of children. He emphasized that the state must take proactive measures to protect the privacy and safety of its youngest citizens.
The bill has faced significant pushback from the main opposition Republican People’s Party. Opposition lawmakers argued during the parliamentary session that the protection of children should be achieved through rights-based policies and digital literacy programs rather than restrictive bans. Human rights organizations have also expressed concern that the age-verification requirements could lead to increased data collection and surveillance of the general population, as platforms may require official identification to verify age.
This move places Turkey at the forefront of a global regulatory trend. Governments in Australia, the United Kingdom, and France have recently explored or enacted similar age-gating measures to combat the perceived negative effects of social media on adolescent mental health and public safety. In Turkey, this legislation builds upon the 2022 Social Media Law, which required foreign tech companies to appoint local representatives and store user data within Turkish borders. President Erdogan has 15 days to sign the bill into law, after which the Information and Communication Technologies Authority is expected to issue specific technical guidelines for compliance.