The Higher Education Council (YÖK) has effectively barred academics at public universities from monetizing content on YouTube and digital platforms, classifying online revenue as commercial trade, which is illegal for civil servants.
Following a directive from the Presidency, the YÖK ruling threatens non-compliant staff with disciplinary action. In response, many academics have suspended their YouTube channels, sparking fears about new blocks to the flow of reliable information.
'YouTube was an opportunity for researchers to share findings beyond books and articles,' said Professor Altay Tayfun Özcan from Dumlupınar University, announcing the removal of his videos. 'It was a chance to spread accurate knowledge.'
Some legal analysts say academics can continue streaming if they disable ad revenue. Scholars warn the decision abandons the digital space to unqualified commentators.
'The 21st-century civil service should not require a person to suppress their own knowledge,' said Professor Süleyman Tekir of Akdeniz University.
Echoing these concerns, Professor Özgür Tüfekçi from Karadeniz Technical University said that digital spaces will not remain empty, stating, 'There is no guarantee that academic ethics will fill that void.'
TOBB ETÜ Professor Oğuz Ergin highlighted the policy contradiction: 'YÖK mandates 'Science Communication Offices' at universities, yet restricts the roughly 150 faculty members using YouTube to share knowledge.'
