Türkiye’s Personal Data Protection Authority has published recommendations concerning artificial intelligence and personal-data protection. These recommendations inform prudent deployment but should not be confused with a standalone general-purpose AI act.
Start with the applicable data-protection framework
Identify whether the AI workflow processes identifiable individuals’ information, who determines the purpose and means of processing, and which recipients or processors receive the data. Assess legal grounds, notices, data minimization, security, storage and applicable cross-border data transfer rules under Turkish law where relevant. Do not assume a general “AI consent” checkbox solves every requirement.
What the regulator’s recommendations contribute
The KVKK’s official guidance resources include recommendations on protecting personal data in AI applications. They draw attention to privacy-oriented design, accountability and risks that arise when systems infer or generate information about individuals. A recommendation document is not proof that a particular AI product has been approved by the authority.
Practical deployment example
An organization drafts customer-service responses using a hosted AI assistant. Before sending customer identity records, it determines whether the task needs them, applies redaction, examines the provider’s retention and training terms, controls staff access and defines an escalation route for incorrect or sensitive outputs. If a tool transfers data outside Türkiye, review the specific legal transfer pathway.
What not to import from other countries
EU AI Act dates and categories do not automatically become Turkish statutory obligations. Likewise, a provider’s European data-region badge does not establish KVKK compliance for Turkish processing. Document the controlling Turkish rules and current authority decisions before making definitive legal claims.
Audit trail
Record vendor and feature, date of data-flow review, lawful basis analysis, approved data categories, access permissions, retention settings, source guidance and accountable approver. Update it when the model or terms change. Maintain human review where the output can materially affect a person.
Publication status
This article is a cautious educational overview linked to the official KVKK guidance page. A detailed section-by-section mapping of Turkish AI-related provisions and amendments remains for local legal verification; do not present the overview as legal advice.
Editorial verification pending: Legal applicability needs additional source-level review before this draft can be released.
Sources & Further Reading
- Recommendations on personal data protection in AI — Turkish Personal Data Protection Authority.
- Opinion 28/2024 on data protection aspects of AI models — EDPB.
Guidance varies by jurisdiction and application. This is general education, not legal, medical or other professional advice.