Turkish MPs to embark on global tour for social media regulation talks

ANKARA

A parliamentary commission in Türkiye is poised to embark on international visits to Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Norway as part of its initiative to regulate children's social media usage.

The commission, dedicated to child rights and operating in coordination with relevant ministries, is delving into social media regulations implemented by various countries.

Central to these deliberations is the question of whether potential restrictions or bans should target individuals under the age of 13 or 16.

As part of its efforts, the delegation will gather insights from global practices during these overseas visits, commencing with Japan on Jan. 27, with subsequent destinations including the U.K., Norway and the U.S., respectively.

The commission also intends to contact Australian authorities, which recently established a minimum age of 16 for social media use, to obtain comprehensive information through the Turkish embassy.

Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu, chair of the Turkish commission, expressed her personal stance, advocating for a phased approach starting at 13 and progressively raising the minimum age to 16.

"We aim to consult lawmakers to grasp the intricacies of these implementations. Additionally, we seek to analyze the impact assessments of these regulations. Determining whether 13 or 16 serves as a more prudent baseline is paramount and we will scrutinize the experiences accumulated in this domain," she remarked.

The parliamentary body is set to initiate legislative efforts on this matter in January, while the family, transport and interior ministries planned a roundtable discussion to address the issue comprehensively.

In 2024, Türkiye intensified its oversight of social media platforms, imposing a complete ban on Discord and Roblox, while TikTok recently disclosed the removal of millions of pieces of content from the Turkish domain.