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.
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We are not witnessing another cyclical downturn or a temporary geopolitical disturbance. What we are living through is far more profound: a systemic recalibration of the global order. Three long-standing assumptions have quietly collapsed.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Türkiye is making efforts to revive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and bring together the leaders of the warring sides, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a meeting in Ankara, the Turkish presidency said on Wednesday.
Türkiye has delivered 360 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Lebanon’s Port of Beirut as ongoing Israeli attacks continue to displace civilians, particularly in the country’s south.
The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday, exclusively to Reuters.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted three vessels, seizing two of them for alleged maritime violations and transferring them to Iranian shores, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is extending its ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a proposal.
Two local trains collided head-on north of Copenhagen on Thursday (23 April), injuring 17 people, five of them critically, according to emergency services.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
The European Union is preparing its 20th round of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. The measures are close to being approved, after earlier delays linked to energy concerns in Slovakia and Hungary eased following repairs to the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan says progress in talks with Azerbaijan is helping the country manage economic and security pressures as regional conflicts and alliances shift.
Residents in central Gaza are preparing to vote in municipal elections this weekend, marking the first ballot in the Strip since 2006. The vote in Deir al-Balah is being watched closely as a rare indication of public sentiment, including towards Hamas.
United Nations experts have urged the Indian authorities to release Jagtar Singh Johal, who was arrested in Punjab in late 2017 and has remained in prison since. Allegations have been made that he was tortured and threatened with death in custody.
Central Asian leaders have warned that worsening water shortages now pose a direct threat to regional stability, urging coordinated action and stronger international engagement.
The European Union says its envoy Gilles Bertrand raised concerns over women’s rights, regional security and cross-border tensions during a visit to Kabul, while Afghan officials urged more development aid, trade access and continued dialogue.
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