Türkiye is preparing new nationwide regulations that would set 15 as the minimum age for social media use, as lawmakers from both the ruling bloc and opposition signal broad consensus on what senior officials now describe as a growing national security concern.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair and head of culture and arts policies Hüseyin Yayman said on Tuesday that Parliament is working on legislation that would introduce binding legal limits on children’s access to social media platforms, while also advancing stricter oversight of illegal online betting, digital copyright and nationwide digital literacy standards.
“There is a very strong consensus across political parties,” Yayman said. “We all have children. Protecting them has become a common responsibility. A serious initiative has emerged, and this will be turned into a parliamentary regulation.”
Yayman said draft preparations are continuing under the coordination of AK Party parliamentary leaders and relevant ministries, intending to bring a bill to the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) in the near term.
Government officials increasingly define social media as a matter of national security, citing its growing role in the spread of harmful and criminal content, digital dependency and financial exploitation.
“Social media is no longer simply a communication tool. It has become a platform that directly affects public order, family structures and national values,” Yayman said.
He pointed to official data showing that people in Türkiye spend an average of seven hours per day online, with roughly four hours on social media platforms alone. He said the volume of time spent online, particularly among minors, has accelerated exposure to content that promotes violence, substance abuse, illegal gambling, prostitution and what he described as ideological campaigns that undermine social and religious values.
“These platforms have increasingly turned into hubs of harmful influence,” he said.
The government is rejecting a laissez-faire regulatory approach and is moving toward legally binding frameworks that would impose governance standards on global digital platforms operating in Türkiye. Yayman said the protection of children, families and women constitutes a “red line” for the government and that regulatory firmness should not be confused with censorship.
“If protecting children and families is considered restrictive, then yes, we will take a firm position,” he said.
While emphasizing regulation, Yayman also said legal bans alone would not be sufficient. He said the government is developing a nationwide digital literacy strategy that would be integrated into the national education curriculum.
Yayman said discussions are underway with the Ministry of National Education to incorporate digital literacy training into classroom programs so children can learn responsible and critical digital usage at an early age.
Parallel to the social media age limit, lawmakers are also advancing legislation on digital copyright. Yayman said the proposed framework aims to protect institutional journalism, ensure transparency in advertising algorithms and require multinational technology firms to comply with the same regulatory standards in Türkiye as they do in Europe and the U.S.
“These companies must be subject to the same obligations here as they are in Berlin, Paris, London and Washington,” he said.
Another major legislative priority involves illegal online betting and gambling, which Yayman described as a growing national security problem. He said public complaints have surged and that families are facing serious financial losses due to widespread access to illegal gambling networks through social media platforms.
He said illegal betting contributes to capital outflows from Türkiye, damages household economies and deepens digital addiction, particularly among young users.
“There is a legal dimension, a financial dimension and a social dimension,” Yayman said. “These networks drain national wealth, undermine family stability and weaken social values.”
The government is preparing legal, financial and institutional measures aimed at restricting illegal gambling content on social media, increasing platform accountability and expanding enforcement mechanisms.
Yayman said digital companies, public institutions and families must operate as coordinated stakeholders to restore public order and protect children in the digital environment.
Citizens, he added, are demanding firm action. “People expect decisive and comprehensive measures,” Yayman said. “We are working on this issue with that sense of responsibility.”
The draft legislation on social media age limits, digital copyright and illegal gambling is expected to be introduced to Parliament following the completion of technical and inter-ministerial consultations.
