The practice of age verification via e-Devlet on social media platforms begins as of November 1, 2026. In this new era, age verification will be mandatory for users opening new accounts on domestic and foreign social network providers accessible from Turkey.
Existing account holders will have until March 31, 2027, to complete the verification process. The regulation concerns not only children but all users of social media platforms, as adults will also need to verify their age to establish the age threshold.
The basis for the implementation is the “Regulation on the Provision of Services Specifically Tailored to Children and Age Verification by Social Network Providers,” published in the Official Gazette dated October 10, 2026. The regulation was prepared within the scope of Law No. 7578, which prohibits the provision of social network services to children under the age of 15.
WHO WILL IT AFFECT AND HOW?
According to the new rules, children under the age of 15 will not be able to access social network services. It is anticipated that the existing accounts of users found to be under 15 as a result of age verification will be closed.
Users between the ages of 15 and 18 will be able to continue using the platforms, but services specifically tailored to children will be provided for these users. Social network providers will be required to implement higher privacy and security standards and to activate parental control tools.
Through parental control tools, it is aimed that families will be able to manage their children's account settings, limit usage time, and use approval mechanisms for paid transactions.
VERIFICATION WILL BE DONE VIA E-DEVLET
The age verification process will be carried out with an “age verification token” to be created via the e-Devlet Gateway. After logging into e-Devlet, the user will create this token and upload it to the social media platform they are using.
The token will only contain information on whether the user has reached the age of 15 and, if they have reached 15, whether they have reached the age of 18. Personal data such as name, surname, T.C. identification number, or date of birth will not be shared with social media platforms.
The Presidential Cyber Security Presidency announced that the technical steps regarding the implementation and the obligations of the platforms will be announced gradually through official channels. It was emphasized that the official addresses to be used for verification are turkiye.gov.tr and the e-Devlet mobile application.
With the new implementation, warnings were also issued against fake links and fraud attempts. Users should not click on “age verification” links coming through social media messages, third-party applications, or fake websites.
The Presidency reminded that e-Devlet passwords, SMS verification codes, credit or debit card information, and account details should not be shared with any person, institution, or platform. Suspicious links imitating public institutions should be reported to the Cyber Security Presidency's reporting channels.
News Source: 12punto
