Yes, scraping public data in Turkey is generally permissible, but strict compliance with data protection and sector-specific laws is mandatory. Publicly accessible data may be collected unless restricted by privacy or sectoral regulations, while automated scraping tools must avoid breaching technical safeguards or personal data protections under the Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK).
Key Regulations for Scraping Public Data in Turkey
- Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK, Law No. 6698): Automated scraping of personal data from public sources is prohibited unless explicit consent is obtained or a lawful basis (e.g., legitimate interest) is established. Non-personal data may be scraped unless restricted by sectoral rules.
- Electronic Communications Law (Law No. 5809): Unauthorized scraping of telecom or ISP data, even if publicly available, violates network integrity provisions. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) enforces compliance.
- Turkish Commercial Code (TCC, Law No. 6102): Scraping for commercial purposes must not infringe trade secrets or violate fair competition rules. The Competition Authority monitors excessive data collection that may distort markets.
Recent 2026 amendments to KVKK introduce stricter penalties for unauthorized personal data scraping, including fines up to 2% of global revenue for repeat violations. Public institutions may also restrict scraping via technical measures (e.g., CAPTCHAs, rate limits) under the Public Information Access Law (Law No. 4982). Compliance requires a documented lawful basis, data minimization, and adherence to ICTA guidelines for automated data collection.