Turkey bans under-15s from social media after similar restrictions in Australia

The Turkish parliament on Wednesday (Apr 22) voted to prevent children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms. Under the law, under-15s will be banned from creating accounts on social media, while digital platforms will be forced to put in age-verification systems, according to AFP. The vote follows a pattern of similar bans and proposals to limit the harms of internet use for young people. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to sign the legislation, which was introduced by his party. The law will enter into force six months after being published in the official gazette. If alerted to an "emergency", major social media platforms will have a duty to intervene within an hour of harmful content being posted online.

Also Read: Greece to ban social media for kids under 15, PM says in TikTok message

Australia social media ban

Australia has implemented a world-first law that bans children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts. The ban officially came into effect on December 10, 2025. The ban covers major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, Reddit, YouTube, Kick, Twitch, and Threads. Platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger Kids, Google Classroom, Discord, and Roblox are currently exempted. The French National Assembly has also passed a landmark bill to ban social media for minors under 15 with an overwhelming 130 to 21 vote. The legislation has moved to the Senate for review. Several other countries, including Denmark, Norway, and Malaysia, are now considering or drafting similar legislation based on Australia's model. Greece has also proposed a ban social media for under-15s, while the European Union has said an expert group will start preparing recommendations for action across the bloc.

Also Read: Is India planning Australia-like social media ban for kids under 15?

Is India planning the same?

Responding on questions related to social media ban, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday (Feb 17) said in a press conference that the government is holding consultations with various social media platforms on age-based restrictions. “This is something that has been accepted by many countries — that age-based regulation has to be there. It was part of our DPDP (Digital Personal Data Protection ) Act. Right now, we are in conversation regarding deepfakes and age-based restrictions with various social media platforms,” added Vaishnaw. In a conference he also said, “It’s a problem which is growing day by day and certainly there is a need for protecting our children, society from these harms. We have initiated a dialogue with the industry already on what kind of regulation will be needed beyond the steps that we have already taken up.”

Additionally, the Economic Survey by the government also recommended age-based restrictions on digital platforms, warning that compulsive screen use among young people is imposing measurable economic and social costs on the country. The survey recommends social media companies enforce age verification and implement age-appropriate defaults, “particularly for social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising. Currently, there is no law in India that bars children below a certain age from accessing social media but under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, social media platforms must obtain verifiable parental consent before processing personal data of anyone under 18.