With the Law on Amendments to the Social Services Law and Certain Other Laws (“Law”), published in the Official Gazette dated 1 May 2026 and numbered 33240, several legislative changes have been introduced, primarily to the Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Publications on the Internet. These amendments establish a comprehensive regulatory framework, particularly targeting social network providers and the digital gaming ecosystem.
The new framework reflects a regulatory approach centered on protecting children from risks in the digital environment and increasing platform accountability.
A. Key Amendments Introduced by the Law
- A Platform-Centric Structure Has Been Adopted in the Gaming Ecosystem:
The Law redefines key concepts such as “game”, “game developer”, “game distributor”, and notably “game platform”. In this context, it is observed that the regulatory approach shifts focus from content creators to platforms that control user access. Game platforms are now subject to obligations including age rating systems, provision of parental control tools, cooperation with regulatory authorities, and the appointment of a local representative in Türkiye for foreign-based platforms exceeding certain thresholds.
- New Child Safety Obligations Introduced for Social Network Providers:
The Law prohibits social network providers from offering services to users under the age of 15, and mandates the provision of segregated and secure services for users aged between 15 and 18. In this regard, platforms will be required to implement age verification mechanisms, develop child-specific service models, and publicly disclose these measures.
- Expanded Obligations Regarding Parental Controls and Platform Design:
Both social network providers and game platforms are now required to provide tools enabling parents to manage their children’s account settings, control paid transactions, and limit usage time.
- Shortened Response Times for Content Removal and Regulatory Requests:
For platforms with high daily access from Türkiye, compliance periods for content removal and access blocking decisions have been significantly reduced, with certain cases requiring action within as little as one hour. Additionally, the deadline for responding to information and document requests from regulatory authorities has been reduced from three months to fifteen days.
- Explicit Obligation to Prevent Misleading Advertisements:
Platforms are now required to take active measures to prevent misleading advertising practices that may deceive users.
- Strengthened Sanctions Mechanism:
The Law introduces a stricter, progressively escalating sanctions regime for non-compliance, including administrative fines, advertising bans, and bandwidth throttling. This significantly increases the importance of compliance for platforms.
B. Entry into Force and Assessment
Although the relevant provisions of the Law have, as a rule, entered into force as of the date of publication, the implementation of key obligations for social network providers and game platforms has been deferred by six months. Accordingly, these regulations are expected to become effectively applicable as of 1 November 2026.
These developments mark a significant paradigm shift in the regulation of digital platforms in Türkiye, demonstrating a move towards stricter oversight, particularly in areas such as child safety, age verification systems, and platform governance.
However, many technical and operational details are expected to be further clarified through secondary legislation. Therefore, it is important for relevant platforms to treat the transition period not merely as a waiting phase, but as an active period for compliance and preparation.
You may access the full text of the
Law here.
Aslı Kınsız, Managing Associate
Cemile Tekdemir, Associate