New Age Verification And Child-Specific Service Obligations Introduced For Social Network Providers

The Regulation on the Provision of Child-Specific Segregated Services and Age Verification by Social Network Providers (“Regulation“), prepared by the Cybersecurity Presidency, was published in the Official Gazette dated 10 October 2026 and numbered 33396 and will enter into force on 1 November 2026.

The Regulation prohibits social network providers from offering services to children under the age of 15 and requires them to provide children aged 15 to 17 with segregated services tailored to their age and developmental needs, incorporating specific safety and privacy safeguards. It also introduces obligations concerning age verification, restrictions on certain features of children’s accounts, parental control tools, and the establishment of application and appeal mechanisms.