Turkey will implement a new “Digital Identity” verification system to identify users under 16 with the aim of protecting minors from the negative impacts of social media, the Euronews Turkish edition reported on Monday, citing the country’s family and social services minister.
Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş announced plans to launch the new system to help platforms detect users under the age of 16. Rather than imposing blanket bans, the government intends to require social media platforms and digital game producers to establish the age of users.
The new system, which will focus on an age limit of 16 for access, is expected to be implemented in stages, with expert input guiding the development, the minister said.
According to a report by the BBC, France last year introduced legislation to block social media access for children under 15 without parental consent, though research indicates almost half of users were able to avoid the ban using a VPN.
Australia is also expected to ban children under 16 from using social media, after its parliament last month approved the world’s strictest laws that could see tech companies fined up to A$50 million ($32.5 million) if they don’t comply.
Norway also pledged to follow in the country’s footsteps, BBC said, adding that the UK’s technology secretary also said a similar ban was “on the table” — though he later added “not… at the moment.”
The initiative in Turkey follows earlier efforts to regulate children’s internet use, including the 2011 “Safe Internet Service,” designed to protect children from harmful online content. However, experts have long criticized these measures as inadequate and have called for more effective solutions to ensure children’s safety online.
In early October, Turkey imposed a ban on the popular instant messaging app Discord in the wake of allegations that the platform has been used for purposes of child abuse, blackmail and online harassment.
The ban was imposed by the Ankara court upon a request from the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office due to the existence of sufficient suspicion that the crimes of “child sexual abuse and obscenity” had been committed on the platform, according to a statement by Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç.
Blocking access to websites and popular social media platforms is frequent in Turkey, where X, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram have also suffered temporary bans in recent months and years. In August, the gaming platform Roblox was also blocked due to child safety concerns.