Turkey to launch e-Devlet age-check system for under-15 social media users

The Turkish government is developing an online age-verification system that will link to the e-Devlet government services portal, allowing authorities to confirm whether users are at least 15 years old while keeping their identity hidden from social media companies. Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said the measure supports a new law that bars platforms from providing services to children under 15 and requires a differentiated service for 15- to 17-year-olds, along with parental-control tools for account settings and usage limits.

The same legal framework, published on May 1, also introduces obligations for digital gaming platforms, including age classification of games and local representation for foreign services with over 100,000 daily Turkish users. These provisions will become enforceable on November 1 following a six-month transition. The ministry highlighted concerns about excessive screen time, linking it to sleep disruption and mental-health issues, and cited recent court bans on Roblox and Discord as precedents. The rollout occurs amid extensive internet controls, with more than 1.26 million websites already blocked in Turkey.