KVKK-Compliant Website and Cookie Management

01Why Does KVKK Concern Websites?

The Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698 (KVKK, the Turkish data-protection law, comparable to GDPR) treats any information that identifies or makes identifiable a natural person as personal data. Names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses and browser identifiers linked to cookies fall within this definition.

If a website uses a contact form, quote form, newsletter signup, live chat, analytics tool or advertising pixel, it is processing personal data. In that case the site owner is the data controller and has an obligation to inform visitors.

This article is for general information. Obligations may vary by your sector, the type of data you process and your business partners; check current legislation and your legal adviser. The guides published by the Personal Data Protection Authority are also a solid starting point. If you are planning a new corporate website, doing this work before design starts is the least costly route.

02What Personal Data Does a Site Collect?

The first step of compliance is taking an inventory. You cannot prepare a correct text without writing down which data is collected on your site, at which point and for what purpose. Most businesses think only of forms; yet third-party tools running in the background collect data too.

03What Should a Privacy Notice Include?

A privacy notice is the information given to the visitor when data is collected and does not require consent; it only needs to be readable and accessible. It usually appears in the footer of the site and as a link next to every form.

The text does not need to drag on in legalese. Plain sentences the visitor can understand both build trust and fit the principle of clarity the law looks for.

Placement matters as much as content. Right under the form there should be a clear link such as “Privacy notice on the processing of your personal data”; it should open in a new tab and not make the visitor lose the information they have filled in. A text that is easy to read on a mobile screen is far more convincing than a cramped page in tiny type.

The data subject's right to apply should also be tied to a concrete channel. When a visitor wants their data deleted or corrected, they should know where to write; and the business should be able to track these requests and answer within the period set by law.

• The identity and contact details of the data controller
• The purpose for which data is processed
• To whom and for what purpose data may be transferred
• Method of collection and the legal basis
• The data subject's rights under the law and how to apply

04How Is a Cookie Notice Set Up?

Cookies fall into two groups: those needed for the site to work and those used for analytics, personalization or advertising. According to the Authority's cookie guide, no consent is required for strictly necessary cookies, while other cookies must not run before the visitor consents.

The most common mistake here is displaying the notice but loading analytics and advertising code as soon as the page opens. In a correct setup these codes are activated after consent; if the visitor declines, they are never loaded.

Features of a Good Cookie Banner

• The accept and reject options should have equal visibility
• Choice by category (analytics, marketing) should be possible
• Pre-ticked consent boxes should not be used
• The visitor should be able to change their preference easily later
• The banner should not make the page content unusable

Cookie Policy Page

Alongside the cookie banner there is a detailed cookie policy page. This page lists the type, purpose, retention period and third-party owner of each cookie in use; the list is updated as new tools are added.

05When Is Explicit Consent Required?

Explicit consent is consent that relates to a specific subject, is based on information and is given of free will. Unless another legal basis listed in the law applies (such as concluding a contract, a legal obligation or legitimate interest), explicit consent is needed to process data.

An important rule: explicit consent must not be made a precondition for a service. Forcing a visitor to agree to marketing in order to submit a form goes against the principle that consent is given freely. The privacy notice and the explicit consent text should also not be merged in the same checkbox.

For newsletters and campaign messages, commercial electronic message legislation also comes into play. Clarify with your legal adviser how these consents are obtained and recorded.

06Forms and Data Security

Compliance is not just texts; the law expects the data controller to take technical and administrative measures to keep data secure. On a website, most of these measures are built in during the web design and software stage; adding them later is both difficult and costly.

Weak panel passwords make even the best-prepared text meaningless. The habit of creating strong passwords for admin accounts and recognizing phishing attacks training to make staff aware of fake emails are among the core measures.

• HTTPS and a valid SSL certificate on all pages
• Data minimization in forms: do not ask for fields the purpose does not need
• Form data transmitted over an encrypted connection and stored closed to unauthorized access
• Access to the management panel limited per person and protected with two-step verification
• Deleting old submissions after the set retention period

07Third-Party Tools and Transfers

Most analytics, map, video, chat and advertising tools send data to servers abroad. The provisions of KVKK on transferring data abroad were changed in 2024; which transfer mechanism suits you should be assessed with an expert.

A practical approach is to remove from the site every tool that is not really used. This step both reduces the compliance burden and makes the page open faster; less third-party code means less data flow. A light, clean code structure is also an advantage for SEO-friendly web design. Handling advertising and measurement setup together with your digital marketing plan balances both sides.

08Compliance Checklist

You can follow the order below when reviewing your existing site. Each step forms the basis for the next. For a broader security framework, see our cybersecurity measures article too.

1. List all data collection points and third-party code on the site
2. Define the purpose, legal basis and retention period for each
3. Have the privacy notice and cookie policy prepared in plain language
4. Set up the cookie banner so that no code loads before consent
5. Remove unnecessary fields from forms and separate the consent checkboxes
6. Verify technical measures such as HTTPS, panel access and backups
7. Open an email or form channel for data subject requests
8. Update the texts and the cookie list at regular intervals