The TRT International Children’s Media Summit opened in Istanbul on 6 December 2025, bringing together policymakers, media leaders and experts to tackle the challenges facing young people in an increasingly digital world. Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan used the opening ceremony to warn that adults must take responsibility for the online environments they have created, noting that children will follow their example as long as “adults’ heads are bent towards screens.”

Mrs Erdoğan announced her signature on the Digital Child Rights Convention and revealed that new regulations are being prepared to govern social media use for children under 15. Turkey’s Head of Communications, Burhanettin Duran, emphasized the need for balance rather than keeping children away from screens entirely, whilst warning that algorithm-driven content could harm young people’s psychological and moral development if left unchecked.

TRT Director General and ABU President, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zahid Sobacı said the summit reflects Turkey’s commitment to safeguarding children through public broadcasting, describing it as both a national duty and a universal responsibility. The one-day summit focuses on promoting safe, high-quality children’s content and contributing to international policy discussions on children’s rights in digital media.