Limit on Digital Content Production for Academics: YouTube and Social Media Earnings Classified as Commercial Activity

The Presidency’s General Secretariat informed YÖK that income earned by public officials and university academics from digital platforms falls under the commercial activity prohibition of the State Civil Servants Law No. 657. Following the decision, some academics shut down their YouTube channels, sparking debate over whether the regulation also covers non‑profit channels.

Background On 9 September 2026, the Presidency’s General Secretariat sent a letter to the Higher Education Council (YÖK) stating that income earned by public officials and academics working at state universities from YouTube, social media, websites, and mobile apps should be treated as “commercial activity” under Article 657 of the State Civil Servants Law.
YÖK’s Response YÖK replied on 2 September, outlining the implementation details of the decision but did not clarify whether digital content that does not generate revenue is also covered by the regulation.
Academic Reactions After the decision reached universities, several academics closed their YouTube channels.
Professor Altay Tayfun Özcan of Dumlupınar University’s History Department explained that he shut down his channel to emphasize the importance of YouTube for disseminating academic knowledge.
Süleyman Tekir of Akdeniz University’s History Department criticized the ruling, arguing that it would leave digital content production in history to non‑experts.
"There are about 146 academics in Turkey with YouTube channels," noted Oğuz Ergin.
"YÖK encourages the establishment of Science Communication Offices, yet it also classifies income from digital content as commercial activity, which raises questions about the policy’s consistency." Future Perspectives Legal expert Lawyer M.
stated that YÖK has not provided a definitive explanation, and that academics and related institutions will engage in discussions to resolve the ambiguity.
The question of whether non‑profit digital publications fall under the commercial activity umbrella remains unresolved.
Conclusion The ruling has ignited new discussions about the freedom of content creation and the right to earn income for public officials on digital platforms.
The role of academics in digital content production and its legal framework has become a significant point of debate between the academic community and public policy makers.

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