Turkey combats cyber crime
More than 1,500 websites are currently banned in Turkey, access to most of which was blocked following complaints by individuals over inappropriate content on these sites.
Turkey's Telecommunications Directorate has blocked 1,591 Web sites since last year under the law against cyber crime, which includes a wide range of offenses. Nearly half of the site-blocking rulings were issued due to the content involving the sexual exploitation of children online .This was followed by obscenity as the main reason for the closure of 539 sites. Other reasons included online prostitution (13), facilitating narcotics acquisition (3), encouraging suicidal behavior (1), illegal gambling sites (85), providing a physical location and the opportunity for gambling (88) and other reasons (165). Abuse of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's memory was the reason for blocking 52 websites.
Constant bans on scores of websites drew the ire of nongovernmental organizations in Turkey, which called on authorities not to restrict the scope of freedom of individuals who wish to have full usage of the Internet and find alternative methods to combat undesired content on websites.
Internet Technology Association (ITD) President Mustafa Akgul said the bans on Web sites were a result of Turkey's war against the Internet. "Blocking Web sites creates an impression that Turkey has not fully comprehended what the Internet is. I compare these bans to the situation of an ostrich, which buries its head in the sand not to see the reality. Turkey is harming itself, knowingly or unknowingly, with such bans," he stated.
Akgul went on to say that the authorities should find alternative methods to fight against the undesired content of websites. "Many road accidents occur in this country every day, but we do not forbid people from driving cars, do we? So why ban websites? These sites are a means of communication between individuals and the world. It is not logical to forbid people from establishing communication with the world," he remarked.
Tansel Parlak, a representative of the Young Civilians - a civil society group known for its use of sarcasm in protests, said Turkey places itself in an awkward position by banning websites.
"Bans are outdated and there are many ways to circumvent them. The authorities should find more effective solutions to fight against their problems with the Internet. Banning a Web site contravenes human rights and restricts people's freedom," he added, Today's Zaman reports.
Turkey's Telecommunications Directorate has blocked 1,591 Web sites since last year under the law against cyber crime, which includes a wide range of offenses. Nearly half of the site-blocking rulings were issued due to the content involving the sexual exploitation of children online .This was followed by obscenity as the main reason for the closure of 539 sites. Other reasons included online prostitution (13), facilitating narcotics acquisition (3), encouraging suicidal behavior (1), illegal gambling sites (85), providing a physical location and the opportunity for gambling (88) and other reasons (165). Abuse of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's memory was the reason for blocking 52 websites.
Constant bans on scores of websites drew the ire of nongovernmental organizations in Turkey, which called on authorities not to restrict the scope of freedom of individuals who wish to have full usage of the Internet and find alternative methods to combat undesired content on websites.
Internet Technology Association (ITD) President Mustafa Akgul said the bans on Web sites were a result of Turkey's war against the Internet. "Blocking Web sites creates an impression that Turkey has not fully comprehended what the Internet is. I compare these bans to the situation of an ostrich, which buries its head in the sand not to see the reality. Turkey is harming itself, knowingly or unknowingly, with such bans," he stated.
Akgul went on to say that the authorities should find alternative methods to fight against the undesired content of websites. "Many road accidents occur in this country every day, but we do not forbid people from driving cars, do we? So why ban websites? These sites are a means of communication between individuals and the world. It is not logical to forbid people from establishing communication with the world," he remarked.
Tansel Parlak, a representative of the Young Civilians - a civil society group known for its use of sarcasm in protests, said Turkey places itself in an awkward position by banning websites.
"Bans are outdated and there are many ways to circumvent them. The authorities should find more effective solutions to fight against their problems with the Internet. Banning a Web site contravenes human rights and restricts people's freedom," he added, Today's Zaman reports.
