In a parliamentary vote on Wednesday (22 April), Turkish lawmakers approved legislation designed to protect minors from harmful online content. Passed after lengthy deliberations, the measure includes an outright ban on social media use by children under 15.
The bill requires social media platforms to verify users’ ages, strengthen parental oversight controls, and remove any material deemed potentially harmful to children.
The legislation must still receive final approval from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which is expected within the next two weeks. Once signed into law, the new regulations are set to come into force within six months.
Under the new regulatory framework, platforms will be responsible for ensuring that users under the age of 15 cannot create accounts.
They must also introduce enhanced parental controls, including tools to manage account settings, limit screen time, and restrict in-app purchases (i.e. transactions made via mobile applications).
In addition, platforms will be required to remove advertising that targets children if it is considered deceptive or harmful.
If ordered, companies must remove objectionable content immediately or face financial penalties. Failure to comply with a content removal order within 30 days will result in a ban on local advertising, while repeated violations could lead to bandwidth reductions of up to 90 per cent.
Calls to restrict children’s access to harmful online content intensified last week after southeastern Türkiye was shaken by two consecutive school shootings that left nine people dead.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the two young perpetrators - one of whom was a 14-year-old student - were active players of violent online games, raising concerns about the potential impact of such content on minors.
Last December, Australia became the first country to ban social media use for children under 16. Several other nations are now reportedly considering similar restrictions.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out after he discussed the war with Chinese Pr...
Every year on 15 May, Palestinians across the Middle East mark Nakba Day - a commemoration of the mass displacement that accompanied the creation o...
China stocks wavered in morning tr...
Japanese filmmaker Koji Fukada has said that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to “jump straight to...
The second semi-final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest 2026 takes place tonight in a rain-soaked Vienna, wit...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev have pledged to deepen bilateral ties across energy, trade, transport, defence, and technology following high-level talks in Astana.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Kazakhstan comes amid rising geopolitical uncertainty across Eurasia, as conflicts in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East reshape trade routes, security priorities, and regional cooperation.
Türkiye and Armenia’s decision to allow direct trade marks one of the clearest signs yet of a gradual shift in relations between the long-time rivals, although analysts say the immediate economic impact is likely to remain modest.
Türkiye has issued 20,000 work visas to Afghan citizens for jobs in the livestock sector, the Turkish Embassy’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul said during talks with Afghanistan’s refugee minister on Wednesday.
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran loomed over U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China, as signs emerged that the conflict is causing a shift in alliances across the Middle East.
The Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has instructed his first deputy to fulfill the public’s expectations regarding the access to the Internet services and platforms amid a wartime shut-down of international connection since late February.
Just one week after a similar move by Australia, Greece announced that it will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from January 1, 2027, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he left for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Tuesday, as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Beijing on 14–15 May 2026 for a high-stakes summit aimed at managing rising tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan and the Iran conflict.
Every year on 15 May, Palestinians across the Middle East mark Nakba Day - a commemoration of the mass displacement that accompanied the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Kazakhstan comes amid rising geopolitical uncertainty across Eurasia, as conflicts in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East reshape trade routes, security priorities, and regional cooperation.
Baku is preparing to host the World Urban Forum this weekend, with more than 32,000 participants from 180 countries expected to arrive in the Azerbaijani capital for the six-day event.
Azerbaijan’s chairing of the inaugural Global South NGO Platform (GSNP) assembly in Baku highlights the country’s commitment to regional cooperation, the international civil society network’s Secretary-General has said.
Türkiye and Armenia’s decision to allow direct trade marks one of the clearest signs yet of a gradual shift in relations between the long-time rivals, although analysts say the immediate economic impact is likely to remain modest.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment