Issued by the Cyber Security Directorate, the regulations prohibit providers from offering services to children below the age threshold while requiring them to introduce differentiated services and appropriate safeguards for users aged 15 and older, according to Anadolu A gency.
The rules state that providers “cannot provide services to children who have not reached the age of 15.”
For older minors, platforms must take the necessary measures to protect their interests, taking into account their physical, mental, psychological, social and emotional development.
The regulations also establish requirements for age verification, stipulating that providers must prioritize personal data protection and avoid discriminatory practices.
Verification methods must determine whether a user meets the minimum age requirement without establishing the user's identity, according to the regulations.
In addition, providers must ensure that the reliability of their age-verification methods, their algorithmic structures and their child-focused service policies are “clear, auditable and testable for users, parents and the directorate.”
The rules also require platforms to develop clear, user-friendly parental control tools.
The regulations follow legislation on social media passed by the Turkish parliament in April, setting out further requirements for platforms operating in the country.