Politics
Turkish Parliament set to debate age limit for social media
A safer digital world has been on the agenda of the Turkish government for some time. Now, lawmakers seek to make it real through a string of measures. A draft bill, which will be opened for debate at Parliament in the coming days, proposes limiting access to social media for people below the age of 15, requiring parental control tools for digital platforms and introducing an age verification system.
A report by the Sabah newspaper says the regulations would bring extra responsibilities to social media platforms, such as tools to ensure parental control, a 48-hour timeframe to respond to complaints regarding the social media content and additional security measures to prevent deceptive advertising.
Digital gaming platforms will also be mandated to rate the games based on age criteria and unrated games will be banned. Gaming distributors based in another country and with a certain level of access from Türkiye will be required to appoint a representative in Türkiye. Those violating the new rules will be handed down administrative fines and face bandwidth reduction.
If the bill passes, Türkiye will join a growing number of countries seeking to restrict social media for children. Australia in December became the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook. Portugal’s Parliament last Thursday approved a bill, on its first reading, requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16 to access social media, in one of the first concrete legislative moves in Europe to impose such restrictions. France’s lower house last month backed legislation to ban children under 15 from social media amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks.
The draft bill’s part on social media restrictions for those under 15 is based on scientific studies, limits in the Turkish Penal Code on criminal liability, regulations in the Turkish Civil Code and practices in European countries.
On age verification, it suggests several methods, including facial recognition systems, algorithms predicting age through online activities of users and other ID verification systems.
As part of the effort, consultations were held with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of National Education, academics, civil society organizations, social media platforms, as well as parents and children.
The new regulation is intended to create a safer environment in digital spaces in line with the principle of the best interests of the child. Officials say existing legislation has failed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital world. They note that technological transformation has left children more vulnerable online and stress the need for a proactive and comprehensive legal framework to address risks that could negatively affect their physical, psychological and social development.
On the Turkish social media platform Nsosyal on Sunday, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said the government is close to putting the measures into effect, citing growing concerns about the impact of constant digital stimulation on children.
“Just like many countries around the world, we are very close to implementing social media regulations aimed at protecting our children,” she said.
Göktaş warned that people’s attention spans have dropped to about eight seconds, a trend she said harms children more than adults.
She added that children’s attention spans have declined by at least 30% over the past decade, impacting their concentration, friendships and academic performance.
These changes have also made teaching more difficult, she said, adding that similar social media rules for children are being debated or introduced in countries around the world.
She said Türkiye is working to create a safer internet environment for children, calling on parents and teachers to support the effort. “Together, we can make a safe internet possible for our children,” she added.
An Istanbul court on Friday ordered the arrest of Istanbul’s Üsküdar District Mayor Sinem Dedetaş and three other suspects pending trial as part of a corruption investigation into alleged bribery and abuse of office linked to construction and occupancy permits.
Dedetaş, her chief of staff Alihan Koçoğlu, architect Burçin Çevik and contractor Bülent Orhan Tozkoparan were remanded in custody after being referred to court by prosecutors. Two other suspects, Deputy Mayor Ceyhun Ünlü and intermediary Adem Altıntaş, were released under judicial supervision.
The investigation, led by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, centers on allegations that municipal officials manipulated the issuance of building and occupancy permits in exchange for illicit payments.
According to prosecutors, officials at Kent A.Ş., a municipal company, allegedly coordinated the permit process despite having no legal authority to do so. Investigators say the group used an encrypted internal communication network and color-coded spreadsheets to direct municipal staff during the approval process.
Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) findings cited by prosecutors allege that Kent A.Ş. signed a series of sham consultancy agreements with contractors worth a combined TL 1.08 million. Authorities claim the contracts were used to conceal the collection of TL 361.4 million from developers seeking construction permits.
Prosecutors also allege that for larger construction projects, bribes were demanded in U.S. dollars under the coordination of Dedetaş’s adviser, identified only by the initials U.M., and Kent AŞ General Manager N.A. The cash was allegedly delivered in installments inside the Üsküdar municipal building in exchange for occupancy permits issued in violation of regulations.
The investigation was launched following complaints, statements from alleged victims and testimony from suspects. Authorities accuse Dedetaş of bribery, extortion under public authority and establishing and leading a criminal organization.
Police detained six suspects during coordinated raids at 11 locations on July 29. Following questioning and court proceedings, four were formally arrested while two were released under judicial control.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said Friday that Türkiye will continue implementing judicial reforms aimed at accelerating court proceedings, improving access to justice and strengthening the country’s legal system, following the publication of the 12th Judicial Package in the Official Gazette.
In a post on social media, Gürlek said the government remains committed to advancing reforms under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision of making the “Century of Türkiye” also the “Century of Justice.”
“We will continue to implement reforms that accelerate the functioning of the judiciary, facilitate citizens’ access to justice and strengthen our legal system,” Gürlek stressed.
He added that the government is pursuing a legal system based on the rule of law that is reliable, accessible and predictable.
Gürlek thanked the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary group, lawmakers from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the government’s coalition partner, and everyone who contributed to drafting and passing the legislation.
He also expressed hope that the 12th Judicial Package would benefit the country, the Turkish people and the judiciary.
The legislative package, which includes measures intended to improve the speed, efficiency and effectiveness of judicial services, entered into force after being published in the Official Gazette on Friday.
Among the key provisions, the package introduces a rule limiting the interval between court hearings to a maximum of three months in most cases. It also expands the use of audio and video communication technologies in judicial proceedings, allowing preliminary hearings to be conducted remotely.
The proposal includes measures intended to simplify administrative court procedures and prevent cases from being delayed because of jurisdictional disputes between courts. It also broadens the scope of disputes that can be resolved by a single judge in administrative courts, particularly in cases involving students and public officials.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying Ankara is prepared to take part in any international initiative aimed at supporting security and safeguarding the country’s sovereignty following the completion of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon’s (UNIFIL) current mandate.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Erdoğan said extending UNIFIL’s mission would mark an important development, adding that Türkiye wants to contribute to efforts to maintain stability in southern Lebanon after the international force eventually withdraws.
He also said Türkiye would continue supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in the field of security.
Describing Lebanon as one of the countries that has suffered the most after becoming an arena for regional rivalries over many years, Erdoğan said the country stands to benefit greatly from the peace, stability and cooperation Türkiye seeks to promote across the Middle East.
He noted that Israel is committing crimes against humanity in Lebanon as it has killed over 4,300 Lebanese people in the country.
Erdoğan said he has been closely following Lebanese President Aoun’s initiatives and that the two leaders discussed ways Türkiye could further contribute to Lebanon’s recovery. He added that Ankara would continue supporting the country’s institutional capacity as well as providing humanitarian and technical assistance.
Erdoğan also welcomed the ongoing dialogue between Lebanon and Syria, saying continued engagement between the two neighbors would be beneficial.
For his part, Aoun said Ankara and Beirut share deep-rooted ties, adding that there is a strong will to cooperate in ways that serve the interests of both nations.
Legal proceedings involving municipalities run by Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) continue to expand, with new allegations and developments emerging in separate investigations centered on the western province of Uşak and Istanbul’s Üsküdar district.
One of the most prominent cases involves Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, a leading CHP figure, who was referred to court along with five other suspects following their detention as part of a corruption investigation.
The suspects are accused of irregularities in the issuance of construction and occupancy permits, including alleged bribery and misconduct in public office.
After completing procedures at the Financial Crimes Division of the Istanbul Police Department, the suspects were transferred to the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse following medical examinations.
The Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched the investigation after receiving complaints, statements from alleged victims and testimony from some suspects regarding alleged irregularities in the municipality’s permitting process.
The investigation targets Dedetaş on allegations of bribery, misconduct in public office and establishing and leading a criminal organization.
Prosecutors also named Deputy Mayor F.D., mayoral adviser U.M., private secretary A.K., Kent AŞ General Manager N.A., as well as several department heads and municipal employees as part of the investigation.
According to investigators, employees of the municipally owned company Kent AŞ, despite having no legal authority over the permitting process, allegedly coordinated the issuance of construction permits by directing municipal personnel through an encrypted internal email network and color-coded Excel spreadsheets organized by land parcel.
Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) findings allegedly showed that Kent AŞ signed numerous sham “consultancy service” agreements with contractors worth a combined TL 1.08 million ($37,800). Prosecutors allege the contracts were used to conceal the collection of approximately TL 361.4 million from developers seeking construction permits as part of the activities of a criminal organization operating within the municipality and its subsidiary.
Investigators also allege that in larger construction projects, bribes in U.S. dollars were collected in cash from contractors under the coordination of adviser U.M. and Kent AŞ General Manager N.A. In exchange, occupancy permits were allegedly issued despite failing to meet legal requirements. Prosecutors said phone records, cell tower data and suspect statements indicate that the cash was delivered in installments to the mayor’s adviser inside the Üsküdar municipal building.
Following the investigation, police carried out simultaneous raids at 11 locations on July 29, detaining six suspects.
Separate probe in Uşak
In a separate investigation, authorities referred 15 suspects to court after they were detained in connection with businesses allegedly owned by former Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım.
The Uşak Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched the investigation after determining that several individuals were formally registered as employees of municipal companies but allegedly worked instead at a restaurant, entertainment venue and hotel linked to Yalım.
Prosecutors issued detention warrants for 22 suspects. During simultaneous operations conducted by the Provincial Gendarmerie Command on July 29, 15 suspects were detained. The number later rose to 16 after another suspect was taken into custody.
Fifteen suspects were transferred to the courthouse after completing their procedures with the gendarmerie, while one suspect, identified by the initials F.A., was released after giving a statement.
Authorities continue efforts to locate Yalım, who is subject to a detention warrant, as well as A.A., who is alleged to have had a personal relationship with Yalım and is reported to have worked for both the Uşak and Bornova municipalities for a period.
The investigations in both cases remain ongoing, and the allegations have not yet been adjudicated in court.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Ünal Üstel in Ankara on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said, as the two sides held talks in the Turkish capital.
No further information on the meeting was immediately provided.
On Thursday, the TRNC said the EU’s appointment of a “representative” for Cyprus, at the request of the Greek Cypriot administration, carried no legitimacy.
The Foreign Ministry said the EU lost its impartiality on the Cyprus issue when it admitted the Greek Cypriot Administration as a member in 2004 while disregarding the will of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Last week, Üstel welcomed Fidan’s stance during his meeting with the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy on Cyprus, saying it reflected the shared position of Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people on the island’s future.
Üstel said Fidan’s remarks that “no approach that does not recognize the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, namely their sovereign equality and equal international status, will serve a solution” were important, adding that this approach reflected not only Türkiye’s unwavering position but also the unchanging will of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Recalling that the Turkish Cypriot people were equal founding partners of the 1960 Republic, Üstel stressed that no approach aimed at reducing Turkish Cypriots to minority status by ignoring this historical and legal reality would be accepted.
Erdal Beşikçioğlu, the mayor of Ankara’s Etimesgut district, was among 52 people detained on Thursday as part of an investigation into alleged corruption at the municipality. Three other suspects remain at large.
Other suspects include municipal staff as well as the owners and employees of several companies. They face charges of running a criminal network, bribery, embezzlement, rigging public tenders and abuse of public office.
Prosecutors opened an embezzlement investigation into the municipality in March after irregularities were found in its accounts, broadcaster NTV said.
Beşikçioğlu, 56, a veteran actor perhaps best known for his role as a police officer fighting corruption within law enforcement in a long-running TV series, was nominated by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the 2024 municipal elections. He won a landslide victory in the district, which had long been a stronghold of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
CHP mayors have been the subject of corruption investigations in recent years. Investigations have alleged that mayors and other municipal officials accepted bribes from companies seeking to do business with municipalities or from contractors requesting building permits that would otherwise have been illegal. On Wednesday, Sinem Dedetaş, the CHP mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district, was detained on similar charges along with a number of municipal staff.
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