Turkey considers restricting social media income for civil servants

The Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye's Directorate of Personnel Principles has issued instructions to the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) regarding income earned by academics through social media and digital platforms. This directive suggests that earnings from YouTube, mobile applications, and other digital content creation may be classified as “commercial and profit-seeking activities,” which are prohibited under Civil Servants Law No. 657.

Following this guidance, several academics have reportedly closed their social media accounts to avoid legal complications. There are indications that this regulatory approach, currently focused on the academic sector, may be expanded to include all public sector employees and various ministries. While a specific timeline or new legislation has not yet been finalized, the move has sparked debate regarding the impact on academic freedom and the ability of public employees to engage in digital public discourse.