ISTANBUL
Türkiye is closely monitoring Meta’s $17.1 billion settlement with 47 U.S. states over allegations that its social media platforms contribute to addiction and harm among children, as Ankara prepares tighter rules on minors’ access to social media.
Under the settlement, awaiting court approval, Meta will initially pay about $12 billion over 10 years. The amount could rise to $17.1 billion if TikTok and YouTube adopt similar safety measures and financial obligations. Meta has accepted the agreement without admitting wrongdoing or legal liability.
The deal would require Meta to limit young users’ daily use to two hours, restrict access between midnight and 6 a.m., mute most notifications overnight and during school hours, disrupt infinite scrolling, strengthen age verification and parental controls, reduce the visibility of “likes” and offer chronological, non-algorithmic feeds.
The case is particularly relevant to Türkiye as lawmakers prepare new restrictions on young users. A planned regulation is expected to ban social media access for children under 15 from September, while introducing additional restrictions for those aged 16-18. The legislation is still being finalized.
Nazım Elmas, chairman of the parliament’s Digital Media Commission, said Türkiye was closely following the U.S. case and examining complaints submitted to the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) and the Presidential Communication Center (CİMER). If similar demand for compensation exists in Türkiye, provisions allowing families to seek damages could be expanded, he said.
Cyberlaw expert Gökhan Ahi said Turkish law already requires social media providers to take measures for child-specific services, with BTK able to impose administrative sanctions for non-compliance.
However, individual compensation claims would face a key hurdle: proving a direct causal link between a platform’s practices and harm suffered by a child. Even when liability is established, Ahi said compensation awards in Türkiye are generally far lower than those in the U.S.
————————————————
