New Prohibitions from the Turkish Ministry of National Education for School Websites and Social Media

The Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB), in a decisive move to protect student privacy and personal data security, has issued a new circular to all provincial education directorates. This directive, issued on July 9, 2026, includes 10 key articles that completely transform how schools maintain a presence on official websites and social platforms like Instagram and Facebook [1][3].

Details of the 10-Article Circular and Information Bans According to this circular, the publication of any information leading to the identification of students on public platforms is henceforth prohibited. These items include class lists, National ID (T.C.) numbers, student numbers, exam grades, absenteeism status, and disciplinary or medical records [4][5]. The Ministry emphasized that this data must only be communicated to parents through internal and secure systems and should not be uploaded to school websites accessible to the general public [1].

Strict Restrictions on Publishing Images and Videos One of the most significant parts of this directive is the ban on publishing photos and videos of students and school staff on social networks. Under the new rules, even for educational and cultural activities, schools are required to obtain explicit written consent from parents [2][5]. The goal of this measure is stated as preventing the creation of unwanted "digital footprints" for children and protecting them from potential abuse in the virtual space [1][3].

Digital Housecleaning and Removal of Old Content The Ministry of National Education has not stopped at new prohibitions; all schools are now mandated to perform an extensive "digital cleanup." School principals must review all content published in previous years and immediately remove any posts, images, or files containing students' personal data from websites and social accounts [2][4]. Direct responsibility for monitoring this process lies with the school principals [3].

Cybersecurity and Legal Consequences of Violations In another section of this circular, the security of information systems is emphasized. Sharing management panel passwords with third parties and using unauthorized software, bots, or data extraction tools is strictly forbidden [1][5]. The Ministry warned that if any privacy breach or negligence in data management is identified, administrative and judicial processes will be initiated against the violators [2][4]. Additionally, all teaching staff are required to complete information security training courses on the ÖBA network [1].