Türkiye set to introduce new social media rules to protect children, says family minister

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye is getting ready to introduce new regulations to protect children on social media platforms, the country’s family and social services minister said Sunday.

On the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas said the government is close to putting the measures into effect, citing growing concerns about the impact of constant digital stimulation on children.

"Just like many countries around the world, we are very close to implementing social media regulations aimed at protecting our children," she said.

Goktas warned that people’s attention spans have dropped to about eight seconds, a trend she said harms children more than adults.

She added that children’s attention spans have declined by at least 30% over the past decade, impacting their concentration, friendships, and academic performance.

These changes have also made teaching more difficult, she said, adding that similar social media rules for children are being debated or introduced in countries around the world.

She said Türkiye is working to create a safer internet environment for children, calling on parents and teachers to support the effort. "Together, we can make a safe internet possible for our children," she added.