immac

From TDN:
Meeting to discuss blocking access to Web sites
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A series of meetings are scheduled today in the western Black Sea province of Bolu's Abant district to discuss the Turkish cyber world and to try to find an alternative to the blocking of certain Web sites in Turkey, such as YouTube and Google Groups, a news site reported yesterday.

Turk.internet.com and the Ankara Bar are organizing the meeting, in which all involved parties, including prosecutors and judges, will have the opportunity to discuss closure of Web sites as a punishment. Officials from the Justice Ministry, the Supreme Court of Appeals and the Telecommunication Directorate will take part in the meeting as well.

Access to the popular video site YouTube has been blocked in Turkey since the beginning of May. Courts can forbid access to Web sites in Turkey for eight different crimes, which include child pornography, insulting Atatürk, the founder of the Republic, and encouraging suicide. By mid-April, access to more than 300 Web sites was blocked in Turkey, the NTV news site wrote. In the Abant meeting, the parties will discuss points like blocking access to the relevant Web page rather than the entire site, requesting that the objectionable content be removed from the site before blocking access, and using Web site blocking only as a last resort.


No access to YouTube in Turkey

YouTube has become a symbol of the issue in Turkey as access to the site is frequently blocked due to videos insulting Atatürk, NTV reported. The Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office demands blocking access to the relevant videos not only in Turkey but all around the world. Although access to those videos is forbidden in Turkey, it is possible to view them by changing proxy settings. The prosecutor's office also demands the videos be removed from the site. For this, YouTube would have to open a representative office in Turkey, obtain necessary permits and pay taxes. YouTube objects to opening an office in Turkey, arguing that Youtube is not a Turkish firm and it is not necessary for it to be subject to Turkish law. If YouTube does not have an office in Turkey by July 23, the decision to block access to the Web site will stand, sources from the prosecutor's office said.

KayaKoyuOldBoy

The judiciary don't seem to have grasped the fact that almost anyone in Turkey wanting to get access to YouTube knows that they can do so by using a proxy server.

By banning access in this way they've just made themselves look stupid.

Is it possible in the future that they'll ban online access to foreign based newspapers if they print news articles that show Turkey in a bad light?

immac

I was amused by the last bit - that the Prosecutor wants them to open an office in Turkey, presumably so he can then prosecute them, ban them and put them in prison - that must be a difficult commercial decision for You Tube.
Ian

KayaKoyuOldBoy

YouTube CEO's reply will obviously be "Ben Aptal Miyim?"