Turkey Approves Social Media Ban for Under-15s

Turkish lawmakers approved legislation late Wednesday that bars children under 15 from creating accounts on major social media platforms, marking a significant step to shield young users from online harms. The measure, reported by state media, requires platforms to implement age-verification systems and parental controls while mandating swift removal of harmful content.

The bill's passage follows a tragic school shooting in Kahramanmaras, a city in southern Turkey, where a 14-year-old boy opened fire at a middle school last week, killing nine students and a teacher before taking his own life. Authorities are examining the perpetrator's online interactions to determine any influences behind the attack, which has heightened national concerns about digital risks to youth.

Under the new rules, companies operating services like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram must prevent minors under 15 from registering and offer tools for parents to oversee access. Online gaming firms will also need to station representatives in Turkey to comply with the regulations. Noncompliance could result in reduced internet bandwidth or fines from the country's communications authority.