Youtube banned in Turkey

[chris450]

ISTANBUL, Turkey: A Turkish court ordered access to YouTube's Web site blocked on Wednesday, after a prosecutor recommended the ban because of videos allegedly insulting the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Paul Doany, head of Turk Telekom, Turkey's largest telecommunications provider, said his company had immediately begun enforcing the ban.

"We are not in the position of saying that what YouTube did was an insult, that it was right or wrong," Doany said in remarks to the state-run Anatolia news agency. "A court decision was proposed to us, and we are doing what that court decision says."

Doany said Turk Telekom would allow access to the popular video sharing site again if the court decision were rescinded. Access from Turkey might be possible through other service providers, he said.

Over the past week, Turkish media publicized what some called a "virtual war" between Greeks and Turks on YouTube, with people from both sides posting videos to belittle and berate the other.

The video prompting the ban allegedly said Ataturk and the Turkish people were homo******s, news reports said. The CNN-Turk Web site featured a link allowing Turks to complain directly to YouTube about the "insult."

On its front page on Wednesday, the newspaper Hurriyet said thousands of people had written to YouTube and that the Ataturk videos had been removed from the site. "YouTube got the message," the headline said.

Insulting Ataturk or "Turkishness" is a crime in Turkey punishable by prison.

Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union, has been roundly condemned for not doing enough to curb extreme nationalist sentiments and to protect freedom of expression.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/07/europe/EU-GEN-Turkey-YouTube-Ban.php


(http://www.vatanim.com.tr/root.vatan?exec=anasayfa)

[GREEK71AIRBORNE]

So if i understood corectly the courts in Turkey can forbit the free acces on specific web sites on the internet??

[Player]

Good choice. Youtube has no rules, unlimited freedom of speech but unfortunately our civilized human race is misusing this gift.

[Atlantic Friend]

Good choice. Youtube has no rules, unlimited freedom of speech but unfortunately our civilized human race is misusing this gift.

You basically think it's wise to ban access to information which might offend the government or a fraction of the population in the name of teaching us to be more responsible with freedom of speech ?

[Player]

You basically think it's wise to ban access to information which might offend the government or a fraction of the population in the name of teaching us to be more responsible with freedom of speech ?

No :) I just dislike Youtube because it's full of all the scum that are misusing the freedom of speech, so I'm all for it. It's abused much by racists aswell so I'm not surprised Turkey is banning it. Almost all Israeli videos are abused by very anti-semitic comments. And there are plenty of racist/offending videos aswell.

[signatory]

That's like burning down the entire library just to get rid of one book.

Astonishing.

[Atlantic Friend]

No :) I just dislike Youtube because it's full of all the scum that are misusing the freedom of speech, so I'm all for it. It's abused much by racists aswell so I'm not surprised Turkey is banning it. Almost all Israeli videos are abused by very anti-semitic comments. And there are plenty of racist/offending videos aswell.

Of course, there are lots of offending stuff for everyone on Youtube. But you could say the same about the Internet. Or about books. And what about newspapers ? Yet I don't think you'd advocate banning or censoring them.

To risk being offended or angered by what another person, often from a foreign country, posts or writes seems a pretty mild price to pay in exchange of global access to information (and yes, global information also means a lot of global crap), especially if one keeps in mind international forums or services like Youtube allow you to correct discrepancies, and to post facts to fight lies.

But well, just my very own 2 cents here, I just wanted to react to the whole issue.

[MichaelF]

Dissing Kemal in Turkey is equivalent to dissing the King in Thailand.

They'll do what they have to, in order to stop it. If it means flipping the switch on the Web, so be it.

Different strokes for different folks.

[dedgod]

Nothing like burying your head in the sand......

[Hunterhr]

No :) I just dislike Youtube because it's full of all the scum that are misusing the freedom of speech, so I'm all for it. It's abused much by racists aswell so I'm not surprised Turkey is banning it. Almost all Israeli videos are abused by very anti-semitic comments. And there are plenty of racist/offending videos aswell.

My local library has a copy of Mein Kampf. Should we go burn the library down?

[Player]

My local library has a copy of Mein Kampf. Should we go burn the library down?

What does your library has to do with what I said? It's not like Youtube has only 1 abused video in it.

[Hunterhr]

What does your library has to do with what I said? It's not like Youtube has only 1 abused video in it.

Does it matter? So if it has one it's ok, but two hundred it's not? What's the magical number? Is there some sort of ratio of "good" content to "bad" content that needs to be maintained?

[DeltaWhisky58]

This thread is already trying my patience - get it back on track or lose it!

[Niels]

No :) I just dislike Youtube because it's full of all the scum that are misusing the freedom of speech, so I'm all for it. It's abused much by racists aswell so I'm not surprised Turkey is banning it. Almost all Israeli videos are abused by very anti-semitic comments. And there are plenty of racist/offending videos aswell.
You're saying "I'm in favour of freedom of speech as long as you don't say this or that because I don't like that". That's not freedom of speech.


Anyway, acts like these show that Turkey doesn't belong in the EU.

[DeltaWhisky58]

You're saying "I'm in favour of freedom of speech as long as you don't say this or that because I don't like that". That's not freedom of speech.


Anyway, acts like these show that Turkey doesn't belong in the EU.

Didn't you read my warning above your post?

[Niels]

Didn't you read my warning above your post?
I wrote that before you posted that warning.

[DeltaWhisky58]

I wrote that before you posted that warning.

My warning was already posted as is clear for all to see. Make an inflammatory post, take the points.

[Moledet]

Good choice. Youtube has no rules, unlimited freedom of speech but unfortunately our civilized human race is misusing this gift.
It's not good at all, it's horrible.
Any limits put by a government over the internet are bad. First they ban just one site, then they are going to ban a certain type of sites and later anything that isn't governmental and then they'll start asking for you to identify whenever you access the web.

Anyone that seeks racist propaganda will find it, with or without Youtube and with or without internet.

[Ordie]

Insulting Turkishness?

How does one define it?

If I ask for a Gyro Sandwich wearing a Fez in Constantinople, do I get thrown in jail?

[Moledet]

Insulting Turkishness?

How does one define it?

If I ask for a Gyro Sandwich wearing a Fez in Constantinople, do I get thrown in jail?
Hmmm, the Greeks uploaded some videos saying that Ataturk and all the Turks are gay.

[Javehn]

Funny thing , Turkish pride . I really love them guys , and all , but sometimes it's just redicilous . I watched recently Turkush movie "Kurtlar Vadisi" (valley of the wolves) , and it just shows the amount of personal pride those guys carry (entire movie plot is based on some event of Americans insulting Turkish soldiers) . Pretty redicilous at times , I have to say , I would like to bellieve humanity is way over the times we would kill each other just because I said something nasty about other guy mother ...

[phoebus]

It's the equivalent of insulting Stalin in the 40's or 50's and getting shot, with the only difference that this is 2007 and they just deny freedom of expression.

Surely this attidute will change once progress comes into play.

[Vorian]

Hmmm, the Greeks uploaded some videos saying that Ataturk and all the Turks are gay.

Actually the Greeks insult Ataturk and the Turks say the Greeks are gay. :D


As a Greek I am ashamed of these idiots. However I find that banning YouTube is too hardcore.

[DeltaWhisky58]

Gentlemen, I'll repeat my warning this last time - anyone else making unnecessary comments on this thread will be suspended and the thread closed.

[playtym]

One good thing about this I guess is that nobody in Turkey's going to be exposed to that retarded youtube clip slagging MP.net at least.

[Vorian]

I read somewhere that it isn't a pemanent ban, just for a week, until YouTube erases those videos. Is this true??

[dedgod]

Also how "high" is this court?

Could for example a Supreme Court over turn this descision?

[Vorian]

Well I guess a Turkish member could answer this. Since Ergnok was suspended maybe Clearday?

[Clearday-TRForce]

Access to www.youtube.com site has been suspended in accordance with decision no: 2007/384 dated 06.03.2007 of Istanbul First Criminal Peace Court.

It is very weird, I can connect this site from my work office...but I cant access this site from my home. It means they ban only one line...or? It shows state can easily control the internet access...Such as this is not only one ban, we nowadays see some internationsl BETTING firms (such as www.bwin.com / www.bahsedeger.com...etc) banning in Turkey.

Anyway, I dont see this is an endless ban to youtube.com. It is a temporarily banning. This court is not a "high" court. Its decisions can be broken by a high court in Turkey.

I think, it will be open in a fews weeks.


regards,
CDTRF

[DeltaWhisky58]

So this would suggest that they have only blocked major ISPs, but clearly not all of them.

[daily666]

It is very weird, I can connect this site from my work office...but I cant access this site from my home. It means they ban only one line...or? It shows state can easily control the internet access...Such as this is not only one ban, we nowadays see some internationsl BETTING firms (such as www.bwin.com / www.bahsedeger.com...etc) banning in Turkey.

Anyway, I dont see this is an endless ban to youtube.com. It is a temporarily banning. This court is not a "high" court. Its decisions can be broken by a high court in Turkey.

I think, it will be open in a fews weeks.


regards,
CDTRF

Clearday I don't know how the law works in Turkey (apart from the Civil Code is based on Swiss) but wouldn't it be more appropriate to force youtube.com (google I think) to remove the films rather than banning the whole website? Or maybe they tried that and failed? You know anything about it?

[Clearday-TRForce]

So this would suggest that they have only blocked major ISPs, but clearly not all of them.


yes right...They blocked TURK TELEKOM lines...but not others...Such as there are lots of other lines, DORUK NET, SUPERONLINE,...etc.



Clearday I don't know how the law works in Turkey (apart from the Civil Code is based on Swiss) but wouldn't it be more appropriate to force youtube.com (google I think) to remove the films rather than banning the whole website? Or maybe they tried that and failed? You know anything about it?


I dont know but there are some similar examples such as Brazil urge the youtube before about Brazilian Ronaldo's ex-wife's videos...and youtube removed it from its database. According to Turkish court, there is a Greek-Turkish war using insulting each others with propoganda videos. They say youtube musnt allow it. Thats it, not more.

As you see, I can access to youtube.com from my work office building but I cant see something at home. Just like now...It will be removed in a few weeks.

[Clearday-TRForce]

Turk Telekom blocks YouTube
Some of the material posted on the popular site that Turkish authorities objected to apparently was loaded by Greek nationals.


Güncelleme: 17:26 TSİ 07 Mart 2007 Çarşamba ISTANBUL - Turkish authorities have blocked the popular internet site YouTube after material insulting Turkey and the founder of the modern state were broadcast.

Paul Doany, the director general of Turk Telekom, announced on Wednesday that YouTube services have been suspended in Turkey. “A court decision was sent us via fax yesterday evening,” he said. YouTube’s services have been suspended in Turkey according to this decision.”

Among the material deemed offensive were insults to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder and first president of the Turkish Republic.

http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/402075.asp


just only one ISP provider...not all Turkey bans it...this is the true picture.

[Clearday-TRForce]

Now, Turkey removed youtube.com ban by high court desicion...And Youtube.com has removed related videos from its database p-)

this is the "end" of story

[magic_flight]

I thought these things happen only in North Korea... :-(

Anyone should be totally against the restriction of Freedom of Speech..!