Talking Turkey: bloggers ban themselves in protest over banned blogs

Davey Winder
Monday, 18 August 2008 17:06

Business IT - Networking

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of the bans being that these lower courts are seemingly under no obligation to inform the web site owners before the decision is made. Or, for that matter, afterwards.

And because the ban is only effective within Turkey, when accessed via the Turk Telekom ISP which has a virtual monopoly on broadband access in the country, it can take a long time before they become aware of the problem through user feedback.

All of which makes reversing a ban a long and drawn out process.

Which brings us back to the self-censored 200. Although the protest is due to end within a few days, the bloggers hope that their collective action will illustrate just how easily and quickly multiple blogs could be taken down, and just what an impact that would have upon the emerging blogging scene in Turkey.

As well as, of course, to try and drive home the point on a more global stage. A stage which the powers that be within the European Union will be viewing very carefully.

With Internet penetration in Turkey growing to around 37 percent, or 26 million users, last year and the vast majority of these being aged between 16 and 34, the Turkish government could soon be forced into understanding that stupid laws and Internet freedom do not mix.

After all, the Internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. Even when talking Turkey...