Internet users in Turkey have been suffering from website access bans for years, those are all because of a law code that lets authorities forbid access to the websites that include materials regarding hardcore, insult, copyright infringement, etc. As a result, they have had difficulties in accessing to some popular sites and services like WordPress.com, YouTube.com, and Blogspot.com.
Those websites are open for access now, but there are still thousands of websites that are still banned for access because of the law code that we mentioned above. Besides all of this, a new draft bill that had been issued on 22th of February, and would go into effect in 22th of August will oblige Internet Service Providers to offer some “secure” internet packages to their customers. This secure packages will filter the internet access of users with respect to a filter list that will be defined periodically by Information and Communication Technologies Association (BTK). The main object of those secure packages is to keep harmful websites away from young people and children. There will be three main secure internet profiles which are family, child, domestic. The decision of getting a secure internet profile will be left to the customer. If none of those profiles are chosen, then the customer will continue to use the standart profile which don’t have any filtering process, but still lack of access to the websites which have been banned by court or BTK decisions.
If there aren’t any appeals to the draft, and it goes to effect on 22th of August, the ISPs will have to take precautions to avoid secure internet profile users to access websites that are in the filter lists. Thus, it may be difficult to use some methods like changing DNS addresses, using proxy services after the related day. Even if Tayfun Acarer, the head of BTK, insists that there won’t be any bothersome conditions after 22th of August, many Internet users in Turkey don’t agree with him. They see the future of internet hazy, and protest this situation via different channels. They want authorities let their freedom on the Internet.
There have been intense protests on social media channels like Twitter and Facebook. However this Sunday, many people uttered their complaints on the streets and squares. There were protests against this enforcement in many cities of Turkey. The biggest one of them was in Istanbul. Taksim square, which is the most famous square in Istanbul, were the host of ten thousands of protesters today. They walked together in Istiklal Street, and protested BTK and government with slogans and banners. It was good to see that there hadn’t been any incidents and interference by the police.
We will see if the draft would go into effect in the near future. In fact, there has been an appeal to high court against the draft bill, and the court hasn’t issued its decision yet. People are waiting for the decision at the moment. Besides this, the results of genereal election that would be held on 12th of June may have effect on the destiny of this enforcement.
You can follow the protests of Turkish Internet users regarding this subject via some hashtags like #turkeynetban and #22Agustos on Twitter.
