The right to be forgotten concerning personal data within the scope of Turkish law

Today, where digital technology is one of the most important components of the industrial revolution, organizations are trying to adapt their businesses to this transformation. It is emphasized that one of the cornerstones of this transformation is personal data. In other words, data, and especially personal data, is the pioneer of today's growth and change. The flow of personal data leads to the establishment of new structures, the opening of new business lines and the adoption of new policies by states; led to the formation of a new economy. The fact that personal data is one of the most important components of this new economy has attributed an economic value to personal data that was not realized until the digital transformation. This is even explained by the fact that in the technological age, personal data has the same importance as the oil of the last century. As such, it has become necessary to create new methods for the protection of personal data, which is directly related to the privacy of individuals' private and family life. In our opinion, the right to be forgotten is one of the most important methods of protecting personal data. In this context, in the first part of our study, the conceptual framework of personal data, which is the basis of the right to be forgotten, and the fundamental regulations from the past to the present regarding the protection of personal data are covered. In the second part, starting from the birth of the concept of the right to be forgotten, the theoretical dimension of the right to be forgotten, the need for the right to be forgotten, and its relationship with the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individuals are examined. The second part also includes the Google Spain Decision, the decision constituting the legal ground of the right to be forgotten and the General Data Privacy Regulation in general; and the regulations regarding the right to be forgotten under Turkish law. Finally in the third part, the practice of the right to be forgotten under Turkish law and brief examples developed by Google search engine and some frequently used social media platforms to fulfil the right to be forgotten are mentioned.