Minister Göktaş: We are imposing significant obligations on social network providers and gaming platforms

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş delivered the closing speech at the 'Family and Health Workshop' held at Ankara Health Sciences University on April 10-11. Stating that issues concerning the family were addressed during the 2-day symposium, Göktaş expressed her belief that the ideas presented here would contribute to strategies that protect family and public health.

Stating that the strongest foundation for protecting society is a healthy family, Göktaş said, "When the family structure in a country is sound, the child is safer. Young people become more resilient against the risks they face. Elderly and disabled individuals connect to life more strongly. For this reason, a healthy family is one of the main conditions for a strong social structure."

"Policies that support the family are no longer a choice, but a necessity"

Expressing that the increase in the elderly population and demographic transformation are reshaping the care, solidarity, and cohabitation capacities of families, Minister Göktaş said, "Policies that protect the quality of life of elderly individuals, strengthen intergenerational bonds, and support the family are no longer a choice, but a necessity. Besides this, having a disabled child is not just a responsibility for a family, but also a great dedication. We know that true strength lies in love that grows with patience, and true resilience lies in the will to hold onto life together."

"The more the family is supported, the more robust society remains"

Pointing out that the confusion experienced during identity development processes is also an important topic that should be carefully addressed in terms of family health, Minister Göktaş assessed, "Today, our children and youth are exposed to an intense and uncontrolled flow of digital content from a very early age. Neglect, abuse, domestic conflict, dropping out of school, the influence of harmful environments, and substance risks are deepening these processes step by step. All these issues are an area that must be handled very carefully in terms of the child's healthy development, the protection of family ties, and the future of society. Each of these different topics reminds us of the same truth. The more the family is supported, the more robust society remains."

"We see social media regulation as an important step"

Stating that in addition to these efforts, they aim to provide a safer digital environment for children and youth, Göktaş said, "Furthermore, we see social media regulation as an important step in order to provide a safer digital environment for our children and youth. As a result of the work we carried out to develop a model unique to our country, we have established the basic framework for social media regulation for children under 15. Discussions regarding the regulation have also begun in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). With this new regulation, we are imposing significant obligations on social network providers and gaming platforms that are based on the protection of children. We know that some content, especially regarding game ratings, is sensitive. With this legal regulation, game ratings will be automatically counted as 18 plus. On the other hand, our social media regulation is a topic that concerns children under 15 and has actually been discussed in many countries, not just Australia, but also France, Italy, Spain, and now Denmark, England, and the USA. We have taken this step specifically to protect our children from similar issues, as we see that a similar topic is being discussed in our country as well."

"This is definitely not a step that censors children, but a very important step that protects them"

Explaining that they included families, academics, experts, and children in this process for the social media regulation and held meetings with them, Göktaş said, "We carried out a very intensive study for 18 months. This is definitely not a step that censors children, but a very important step that protects them and enables them to take steps into the future with confidence. In the coming days, we will hopefully host an international meeting in Ankara that addresses only this topic. Our goal here is to increase awareness and offer a safer future to mothers, fathers, and especially our children. On the other hand, with the 'Family-Friendly Ecosystem' approach, we are moving forward with a vision that protects the family, keeps its values alive, strengthens intergenerational solidarity, and sees the family as the foundation of a strong society."

"We see every effort that strengthens the family as a strategic step that increases social resilience"

Mentioning that they have made strengthening the family and population structure a common goal covering society in the 2025 Year of the Family, Göktaş used the following expressions:

"We have implemented projects that strengthen the family in many areas such as financial support, educational programs, cultural activities, and digital transformation projects. With policies that protect the dynamic population structure, we have taken multi-dimensional steps that support young marriages, encourage fertility, and facilitate starting a family. We will continue all these efforts with the same determination in the 'Family and Population Decade' covering the 2026-2035 period. Protecting the family is not just protecting today. It is also securing the future of our country and our children. For this reason, we see every effort that strengthens the family as a strategic step that increases social resilience."