Minister Göktaş announces: Restrictions planned for social media platforms!

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş attended the 'Child in the Digital World Workshop' and the 'Sharing of Digital Addiction and Family Workshop Report Results with the Public' program held at a hotel in Ankara. Minister Göktaş stated that they aim to develop new solution proposals together, based on the Child Rights Strategy Document and Action Plan as well as the workshop findings. Making statements regarding children's social media usage during the program, Minister Göktaş said, 'We are planning to create a new action plan to introduce restrictions on the use of certain social media platforms for the safety of our children and to promote the healthy and conscious use of digital channels.'

'DEVELOPING POLICIES TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN IS OUR PRIMARY GOAL'

Minister Göktaş said, "We carried out the workshop we organized for this purpose within the framework of our Action Plan for the Protection and Strengthening of the Family, which we shaped around 5 main themes: global risks and demographic transformation, social welfare, family-oriented social services, digitalization, environment, and disasters. We organized this workshop, which we held in line with our goal of 'supporting the family during the digitalization process,' to better understand the effects of digitalization on society. Developing solutions to protect children from threats such as digital addiction, cyberbullying, and inappropriate content within the scope of the action plan is an important issue we focus on. Minimizing the effects of digital environments on the psychological health of family members and the risks of social isolation is another issue we consider important. In this sense, developing family-oriented digitalization strategies, guidance programs, and awareness campaigns are among the goals included in our action plan. In this context, developing policies that will support the family and protect our children is among our primary goals."

'CHILDREN USE INSTAGRAM THE MOST'

Göktaş said, "The first was the adults' table, where parents were present, and the second was the children's table. The third was the table of experts who carry out active work in this field. In the studies conducted to date, only the experts on the subject had been listened to. We, however, listened to the stakeholders of the subject at the parents' and children's tables in a way that would reveal both perspectives. I would like to emphasize this point in particular. For the first time in Turkey, we conducted a study that included both children aged 12-16 and their parents. Because the most important reason we are addressing this issue is our children. We asked our children, 'How much time do you spend on digital channels?' The majority of the children stated that they spend between 3 and 5 hours with digital tools. I would like to specifically state that this time range is a significant amount of time for a child in the developmental stage. When we asked which platforms they use the most, we generally received the answer 'Instagram' from the study group we interviewed. This answer is followed by YouTube and TikTok."

'WE ARE PLANNING RESTRICTIONS ON SOME SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS'

Minister Göktaş said, "In Australia, a bill that introduced the world's most comprehensive social media ban for those under 16 has been enacted. European Union countries have also introduced bans on the use of smartphones in schools to combat screen addiction and cyberbullying. Some countries are imposing restrictions on social media platforms for moral and national security reasons. We must also protect our children against the risk of digital addiction, which has now turned into a serious problem. Since the day we took office, we have been working intensively to develop a model unique to our country. As a result of our work, we have seen that it is essential to make a legal regulation regarding digital media and gaming platforms. Considering their physical and mental development, we are preparing legislation that regulates social media and digital gaming platforms for our children under the age of 16. With this legal regulation, which will be implemented with the leading role of our Ministry and the active participation of all parties, we want to offer our children a safer digital world. Furthermore, we are planning to create a new action plan to introduce restrictions on the use of certain social media platforms for the safety of our children and to promote the healthy and conscious use of digital channels."