ISTANBUL, Turkey: A bill that restricts children under 15 from accessing social media platforms was passed late on April 22 by Turkish lawmakers.

The new law is part of a global trend to protect children from harmful online content.

It comes just a week after a 14-year-old boy carried out a shooting at a middle school in Kahramanmaras, in southern Turkey, killing nine students and a teacher. Police are now looking into the attacker's online activity to understand why he did it.

The bill will require social media companies to implement age checks, provide parents with control tools, and quickly remove harmful content, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now has 15 days to approve the bill for it to become law. After the attack, he said there is a need to reduce online risks to children's safety and privacy, adding that some social media platforms are negatively influencing young minds.

The main opposition party, the Republican People's Party, has criticized the bill, arguing that children should be protected through rights-based policies rather than bans.

Under the law, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram would have to stop children under 15 from creating accounts and provide parental controls to manage their usage.

Online gaming companies would also need to appoint representatives in Turkey to ensure they comply with the rules. Companies that fail to comply could face fines or reduced internet access.

The Turkish government has previously restricted online platforms, especially during protests supporting jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Other countries are taking similar steps. In Australia, social media companies recently removed millions of accounts belonging to children under 16.

Indonesia has also started banning children under 16 from using platforms that may expose them to harmful content.