Politics
Türkiye plans more social media rules, strict oversight for children
As Parliament passed a new law to restrict social media for children, the minister of Family and Social Services says there may be more on the way.
The country has been working since 2024 on new restrictions targeting social media use by children under 15, as part of a broader effort to protect families in the digital age, Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said on Tuesday. Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Göktaş said that one of the key pillars of the government’s Family Protection and Strengthening Action Plan is safeguarding children and families in an increasingly digital environment. “On the one hand, we aim to raise digital literacy awareness among families, but on the other, we will not leave our children at the mercy of algorithms, big companies, and digital and technology firms,” she said. “We know very well that they generate significant profits through these platforms and over our children.”
She said that the ministry held workshops in 2024 on digital addiction, bringing together parents, children, and experts, as well as separate sessions focused on protecting children in digital spaces. She noted that children, particularly while gaming, tend to choose darker, more powerful characters, often associated with weapons, and may sometimes identify with them in real life, a trend she described as striking and concerning.
Pointing to rising screen time, Göktaş said children’s age of entry into social media has dropped to as young as six.
She also warned of the long-term risks of children’s digital footprint, saying online activity at a young age could lead to legal consequences later. “In the coming years, children under 15 may face various legal cases simply because of what they shared online. We are already seeing such cases. Content posted at age 14 can resurface at 17 or 18, leading to serious legal outcomes that could affect their lives. This is very dangerous, and parents need to be aware.”
The minister said the government’s goal is not to ban platforms but to regulate them. She noted that similar regulations are being introduced globally, citing measures in the EU, Australia, France and Spain, adding that Türkiye has developed its own model based on international examples.
Under the planned regulation, social media platforms will be required to implement age verification systems for users under 15, appoint representatives if they have more than 1 million users in Türkiye, remove inappropriate content within one hour, eliminate misleading advertisements, and strengthen parental control tools.
Göktaş also said that, for the first time, gaming platforms will be included in the regulatory framework. Under amendments to the relevant law, platforms with more than 100,000 users will be required to appoint representatives in Türkiye.
Sanctions will apply to non-compliant companies, she said, adding that a secondary regulation is expected within six months, after which the rules will be fully implemented nationwide.
“This regulation requires about six months, as a bylaw needs to be issued,” she said. “The process will involve the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), the cybersecurity department, experts and other stakeholders. We, as the ministry, will also contribute our views, because protecting children is a necessity.” She emphasized that families must also be part of the process. “Our aim is to supervise and provide a safer digital environment for children. We want them to exist and be empowered in that space, but if dependency arises, we also want to prevent it. We are setting a norm,” she said.
The new law bans children under the age of 15 from entering social media while tasking companies to set up safe online spaces for them. It put Türkiye on the map of countries seeking ways to protect the impressionable young people from online risks, from radicalization to fraud, sexual abuse and cyberbullying. The law has been on the agenda of lawmakers for some time now, but two school shootings earlier this month appear to be fast-tracking its passing. The second school shooting in the province of Kahramanmaraş by a 14-year-old boy sparked a debate about social media. In the aftermath of the attack that killed 10 people, a barrage of online threats against schools was uncovered, and security forces found out that those behind the threats were mostly underage. The perpetrator’s reported online activity linking him to manipulative content promoting violence has also raised concerns.
Türkiye abstained from using the term “ban” for children, but the bill rather refers to the move as creating safe digital spaces for children under the age of 15. An age verification system will be introduced to prevent children’s access to inappropriate content. Social media companies will be tasked with informing users of the restrictions. They will also be mandated to provide clear, user-friendly parental control tools. These tools will include management of accounts (of children), parental permission for subscription-based processes, purchases or rentals, as well as monitoring usage time and options to restrict screen time for children. Social media companies will also be mandated to prevent deceptive ads. Companies with more than 10 million daily accesses from Türkiye will be required to comply with the authorities’ order to take measures against social media accounts within one hour.
Separately, the bill requires gaming platforms to sell or host unrated games or mandate hosting them at the highest age limit.
The law is expected to be given final approval by the president within 15 days. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has already announced that they would take measures to mitigate the online risks to children’s safety and privacy, in remarks in the wake of school shootings.
Australia was the first country to introduce restrictions on social media access for children under 16 last December. The restrictions led social media companies to revoke access to more than 4 million accounts. In March, Indonesia followed suit, while Spain, France and the United Kingdom are working on measures to restrict social media access to children.
Göktaş said Türkiye recently hosted an international summit on protecting children in digital environments and issued a joint declaration with UNICEF. “All countries are going through a similar process,” she said. “At the summit, one of the key points was that no country can address this issue alone. Technology is evolving rapidly.” She said the declaration calls on technology companies to prevent harmful content targeting children from the design stage of games and digital services. “We are also implementing an age verification system. This is a comprehensive and secure policy. Türkiye is one of the leading countries in this area,” she said. “Our goal is to protect children, ensure a safer digital environment, and not leave families alone in this process.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday that Türkiye opened a new chapter after the failed July 15, 2016, coup attempt was defeated through public resistance, arguing that subsequent reforms strengthened the country’s democratic and institutional resilience.
Erdoğan made the remarks in a written message sent to a symposium titled “July 15 in Its 10th Year: Political and Legal Dimensions,” organized by the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) Political and Legal Affairs Department at the party’s headquarters in Ankara.
He said the true intentions of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which is responsible for the coup attempt, became clear on the night of July 15.
Erdoğan accused the group of exploiting people’s religious and charitable sentiments for four decades under the guise of service, donations and education.
“The successful defeat of the coup attempt through the resistance of our cherished nation opened an entirely new chapter for Türkiye,” Erdoğan noted.
He commemorated the 253 people killed during the coup attempt and expressed gratitude to those who were wounded.
Erdoğan said Türkiye had both removed what he described as a clandestine terrorist network embedded in state institutions and taken measures to safeguard its democracy.
He identified the presidential system of government, introduced following a 2017 referendum, as one of the most significant changes made after the coup attempt.
The president said the system eliminated dual authority within the executive branch, accelerated decision-making and strengthened the state’s ability to manage crises.
He cited Türkiye’s response to the Russia-Ukraine war, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Feb. 6 earthquakes and what he described as the latest Iran-centered crisis as examples of the system’s effectiveness.
Turkish leader also vowed that Türkiye would continue its campaign against FETÖ within the framework of the law.
“We will never take a step back in the fight against FETÖ,” he stressed, adding that authorities would continue working to prevent another attempted coup.
TCG Istanbul, a frigate of the Turkish navy, made a port visit to Syria’s Latakia on Monday, the Ministry of National Defense announced. Aboard it was Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, head of the Turkish Naval Forces Command.
The ministry said it was the first time the navy visited neighboring Syria since the collapse of the Assad regime in 2024.
Latakia has long been a stronghold of Bashar Assad, an avowed enemy of Türkiye, which sought diplomacy with the Assad regime in the first years of the civil war to end the conflict.
After forces led by incumbent President Ahmed al-Sharaa overthrew the Baathist regime, Türkiye rekindled relations with Syria, pledging to help with its rebuilding.
Last week, an engineering brigade of the Turkish army set up a 240-meter-long floating bridge on a part of the Euphrates River in Syria’s Deir Az-Zour.
Al-Sharaa was in Türkiye last week, where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the margins of a NATO summit in Ankara.
In 2025, two countries signed a comprehensive security agreement that includes joint military training and exchange of expertise and know-how in matters of security.
Latakia, where the frigate anchored at, also carries significance for Türkiye as a major hub in the Eastern Mediterranean where Turkish interests are abundant. Türkiye has been vigilant against Israel-Greek Cypriot cooperation in the region and seeks to defend the rights of Turkish Cypriots in the divided island, especially in terms of maritime borders where Greek Cypriots seek to exploit hydrocarbon resources unilaterally.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Doha on Tuesday to offer his condolences following the death of the country’s former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Upon arrival, Erdoğan met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Sheikh Hamad, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, died Sunday at the age of 74 after a prolonged illness. He was laid to rest at Lusail Cemetery in Doha, while Qatari authorities declared four days of national mourning.
The former emir stepped down in 2013, handing power to his son, the current Emir Sheikh Tamim.
In a condolence message shared Sunday, Erdoğan described Sheikh Hamad as “a very valuable friend” and credited him with making significant contributions to the development of Türkiye-Qatar relations.
The Turkish president said the former emir had played an important role in advancing political, economic, military, humanitarian and cultural ties between the two countries during their years of cooperation.
Erdoğan also praised Sheikh Hamad’s efforts for the stability of the region, the well-being of the Qatari people and peace across the Islamic world.
“Türkiye’s place is not in the waiting room of Europe,” Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli said Tuesday.
The government ally lamented that the European Union acted with political calculations instead of seeing the reality about Türkiye. “Türkiye’s membership process has been assessed based more on political judgment than technical criteria,” he told a parliamentary group meeting of his party in Ankara. “They blocked chapters of accession, postponed their responsibility and have not fulfilled their promises while Türkiye’s fair expectations have been overshadowed by (Europe’s own) agenda,” he said.
Bahçeli’s remarks are a reflection of Türkiye’s oft-repeated frustration with the bloc and come at a time when Türkiye strives for another shot at membership as the continent explores collaboration options, especially for security in the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Earlier this month, Türkiye hosted a NATO summit attended by EU heads of state and government. The summit was also an occasion for Türkiye to call for more cooperation with European Union countries, especially in defense.
The MHP itself has been a target of European Parliament reports critical of the country, with calls for the criminalization of Ülkü Ocakları or Idealists’ Clubs, known as Grey Wolves in Europe, an affiliate of the party.
“Europe narrowed its strategic horizon by keeping Türkiye in its waiting room. They think Europe will remain strong by excluding Türkiye, but I suggest they see the security and stability challenges they face now. Europe is increasingly facing a strategic uncertainty,” Bahçeli stated.
Bahçeli also hit out at Greece’s stance on Türkiye’s relations with the European Union. “It is neither smart nor sustainable to limit Europe’s security with political calculations of Athens,” he said.
“Third countries cannot hold Turkish-European relations hostage,” Bahçeli added. Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration often oppose Türkiye’s ambitions for EU membership or the expansion of security and defense cooperation between the bloc and Ankara.
“No country has the right to present its own problems with other countries as a joint security challenge for the entire Europe,” he underlined.
The office of Özgür Özel, who was ousted from his post as chair of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) last May, announced that they would seek an extraordinary congress in a reelection bid. They formally applied to a local court for an order to the new administration to hold the congress.
An Ankara court has ruled that Özel’s tenure was null and void in a case where his associates were accused of buying votes during a 2023 intraparty election. Özel won that election, ending the lengthy rule of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu was reinstated to the office after the May verdict. Since then, Özel and his supporters have been plotting a return to the administration of Türkiye’s oldest party.
Kılıçdaroğlu has signaled that his administration may soon hold a congress for a new election, but Özel, who is now reduced to the job of parliamentary group chair of the CHP, sought to speed up the process before the 2028 general elections, which may also be rescheduled to 2027.
Özel’s office said they collected signatures of 833 delegates for a petition for a new congress. The statement said the signatures were delivered to the Kılıçdaroğlu administration on June 17, in line with the legal deadline, but the administration failed to act upon the call. “In line with Article 75 of Turkish Civil Law, application by one member of the administrative board of the party is sufficient to hold a meeting, for formation of a delegation to organize the congress,” the statement said.
Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu are engaged in a well-publicized row over the future of the divided CHP. Kılıçdaroğlu earlier vowed to “cleanse” the CHP of corruption associated with Özel supporters in the party while Özel accused him of serving the interests of the government to disrupt what he calls CHP’s rise to power.
Özel has signaled earlier that he may establish a new party. Speaking to private broadcaster TV100 on Monday, Kılıçdaroğlu said he would respect Özel’s “fight” within the party. “But they have no right to run a parallel structure in the party,” he said, referring to Özel’s nationwide campaign to seek support while the Kılıçdaroğlu administration continues to expel provincial branch directors of the CHP loyal to Özel.
“We may have a debate among ourselves, but we cannot be divided. If they decided to split because I am purging the corrupt ones, this is a grave situation,” he said. “You cannot remain in the party, remain its parliamentary group chair while working to establish a new party,” he stated.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir, chief of defense forces, at the Ankara Airport on Tuesday. Erdoğan was about to leave for Qatar on an official visit, while Munir is on a two-day official visit to Türkiye that began on Monday.
The meeting was closed to the press and was also attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Turkish Chief of General Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) director Ibrahim Kalın. Munir has held a separate meeting with Bayraktaroğlu on Monday.
Munir raised his profile in recent months as he played a key role in Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts for mediation between the U.S. and Iran.
Türkiye-Pakistan relations reached to new highs under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was also in Türkiye earlier this month.
Türkiye and Pakistan enjoy close and friendly ties, which in recent years have further expanded to also include a new grouping – the Regional Four (R-4), a diplomatic partnership – also involving Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Defense cooperation stands out as one of the strongest pillars of relations between the duo.
The nation cannot bend, Türkiye cannot be surpassed! Epic victory is 10 years old
Last minute | What will be the regulation of children dragged into crime? AK Party submitted its bill to the Turkish Grand National Assembly!
Son Dakika | MHP lideri Devlet Bahçeli: FETÖ tehdidinin tamamen ortadan kalktığını düşünmek yanılgıdır
The nation cannot bend, Türkiye cannot be surpassed! Epic victory is 10 years old
Last minute | What will be the regulation of children dragged into crime? AK Party submitted its bill to the Turkish Grand National Assembly!
Son Dakika | MHP lideri Devlet Bahçeli: FETÖ tehdidinin tamamen ortadan kalktığını düşünmek yanılgıdır
-
Economy3 days agoTurkish ship, yacht exports hit $1.5B in H1, sector eyes new record
-
Daily Agenda1 day agoThe upper echelons of the state told about their witness to the treacherous attempt! Berat Albayrak: That night was an unprecedented epic
-
Politics19 hours agoErdoğan receives Pakistan’s Munir as defense chief begins Türkiye visit
-
Daily Agenda3 days agoBREAKING NEWS: Director of Communications Burhanettin Duran announced: Access to 2 thousand 702 social media accounts linked to FETO has been blocked
-
Economy3 days agoChina’s economy likely slowed down in Q2: Survey
-
Politics3 days agoCHP may replace parliamentary group leader Özel: Turkish media report
-
Daily Agenda1 day agoThe upper echelons of the state told what they witnessed about the treacherous attempt: FETO’s dirty plans were prevented by the power of the people
-
Politics3 days agoTürkiye says European Parliament’s Cyprus resolution ‘null and void’