Here are two interesting news stories, from Hurriyet- Turkish Daily News, regarding Internet, censorship and the laws in Turkey.
This first article relates the response to a journalist's proposal for the establishment of a oversight governmental agency to monitor the activities of print and online media. Over the weekend, Yigit Bulut, a columnist for daily Habertürk and a TV executive, broached this idea to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a breakfast gathering with journalists Saturday. The prime minister said such a thing would be out of the question. For all the details to this story follow this LINK.
Few things shock me anymore in Turkey but the idea that a journalist would not only submit to that kind of situation but would actually make the suggestion staggers the imagination. It would certainly make his job so much easier, of course.
The second story highlights the opinions of a legal scholar, Yaman Akdeniz, a professor at Bilgi University regarding the implementation of the current Internet laws, better known as the "Children's law." In Turkey, under the present laws, which were supposed to be an effort to protect children and families, access to Internet sites can be blocked by court order. According to Wikipedia, "besides YouTube, more than 6000 minor and major websites are currently banned in Turkey.." Read more about this subject on the Hurriyet online newspaper at this LINK.
Akdeniz's arguments against the ban are so obvious and a model of common sense. But I really wonder if anybody is listening?
dont worry about Yigit Bulut. He proved that he is a total jerk many times.
ReplyDelete