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Turkey Moves Toward Limiting Social Media Access for Minors

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Turkey is edging closer to restricting social media access for minors, as a parliamentary report recommends sweeping measures including age verification, content filtering, and potential bans. The proposals align Turkey with a growing global push to tighten controls over children’s online activity amid concerns about addiction, harmful content, and mental wellbeing.

Lawmakers from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party are expected to submit draft legislation soon. Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas has said the bill would include a social media ban for minors and require platforms to implement content-filtering systems. The parliamentary commission also recommended night-time internet restrictions for under-18s, mandatory content filtration until age 18, and a full social media ban until age 16.

The report goes further, urging rapid removal of harmful content without prior notice and monitoring of children’s games and AI-enabled toys. Supporters say the measures are needed to curb digital addiction and protect children from inappropriate material. Critics, including social media companies, warn that weak age-verification tools could undermine bans and push minors toward unregulated platforms.

Turkey already enforces strict online controls, with over 1.2 million web pages and posts blocked by the end of 2024, according to local watchdog IFOD. Platforms face fines of up to 3% of global revenue, ad bans, and bandwidth reductions for non-compliance. Several services—including Roblox, Discord, and Wattpad—have already been banned. As debates intensify, Turkey joins countries like Australia, Spain, France, Britain, and Germany in weighing tougher rules for minors online.

Germany’s CDU Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s

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Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union is weighing a proposal to bar children under 16 from social media, though coalition partners have signaled reluctance toward a blanket ban. The debate follows similar moves abroad after Australia introduced age-based restrictions, intensifying scrutiny of social media’s effects on young users across Europe.

Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU’s labour wing, said rapid changes in social media have outpaced media literacy, arguing that platforms amplify hate and misinformation. He welcomed the idea of adopting a minimum age, citing the need to protect children. By contrast, the Social Democrats (Social Democratic Party of Germany), the CDU’s centre-left coalition partners, cautioned against an outright prohibition, calling instead for stronger platform-led safeguards, age verification, and limits on aggressive recommendation algorithms for minors.

The issue is set to feature at the CDU’s national conference later this month, following a motion from the party’s Schleswig-Holstein branch proposing a statutory minimum age of 16 with mandatory age checks. The motion reportedly names platforms including TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Facebook.

Germany has intensified its focus on online harms, appointing a special commission last year to assess protections for young people. Regulators say issues such as cyberbullying and hate speech are taken seriously, adding that if voluntary measures fail, stricter interventions—including bans—could be considered as a last resort.

Indian tourist state of Goa weighs social media ban for children

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India’s top tourist state of Goa is considering a potential ban on social media use for children, drawing inspiration from Australia’s recent restrictions amid growing concerns over the impact of online platforms on young users’ mental health. The proposal comes as India remains one of the world’s largest markets for social media, with millions of users estimated to be under 18.

Goa’s information technology minister said state authorities are studying Australia’s law, which restricts social media access for children under 16, to assess whether a similar approach could be adopted locally. Officials said details of any proposal would follow after further review.

The discussion highlights the absence of nationwide rules in India governing minors’ access to social media, despite increasing debate over screen time, online safety and psychological well-being. Another Indian state, Andhra Pradesh, has also indicated it is exploring comparable measures after reviewing global regulatory efforts.

Australia last year became the first country to implement a nationwide social media ban for children under 16, a move that deactivated millions of teen accounts within weeks. Other countries, including France and several in Southeast Asia, are closely watching the outcome as they consider similar policies.