The General Assembly of the Turkish Parliament will return from a recess on Tuesday, continuing discussions on bills about social media bans and extending maternity leave.
Parliament will resume deliberations on the Bill on Amendments to the Social Services Law and Other Laws, whose first six articles have been adopted, and which also includes regulations on social media and maternity leave.
Under the bill, the duration of maternity leave granted to women will be increased from 16 weeks to 24 weeks.
As of the date the regulation enters into force, personnel whose maternity leave has expired but whose 24-week period from the date of birth has not yet been completed will be granted an additional eight weeks of maternity leave upon request. The duration of paid leave granted to a worker whose spouse gives birth will be increased from five days to 10 days.
Civil servants who become foster parents to one or more children will be granted 10 days of leave upon request after the child is placed with them.
Social network providers will not be allowed to offer services to children under the age of 15 and will be obliged to take the necessary measures, including age verification, to prevent such access. Game platforms will not be allowed to offer games that have not been properly rated.
Protective and preventive measures will be carried out to ensure that children are cared for and supported by their families or relatives without being placed in institutional care; where necessary, social and economic support will be provided in line with regional conditions.
If no decision has been made to provide temporary financial assistance to women and children deemed to have insufficient income, they will be given a net allowance in accordance with the rate specified in the relevant law, without any deductions.
Commenting on the social media regulations on Saturday, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said it was not a move of censorship for children but rather protecting them from online risks.
“With this new regulation, we are introducing significant obligations for social network providers and gaming platforms that prioritize the protection of children. We are particularly aware that certain content related to game ratings is sensitive. With this legal arrangement, game classification will automatically be considered as 18-plus. On the other hand, our social media regulation concerns children under the age of 15 and has become a widely discussed issue not only in Australia but also in countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, the United Kingdom and the United States. We have also seen similar discussions in our country, and we have taken this step specifically to protect our children from such issues. We carried out very intensive work over 18 months. We listened to experts, academics, children, and parents. We made them part of this process,” she told an event in Ankara.
