"Decision for Internet Filter Should be Withdrawn Immediately"

The architects of the internet filter system to be enforced on 22 August this year obtained the opinion of internet users, internet publishers, content producers, lawyers, IT experts and managers of internet cafés in a meeting on Wednesday (25 May). The gathering was organized by the Internet Committee and held on the premises of the Bilgi University in Istanbul.

The meeting to discuss the controversial internet filter was attended by Sedat Kapanoğlu from Ekşi Sözlük 'Sour Dictionary'), Erdem Dilbaz from "Censor to Censorship", Ezgi Köksal from the Facebook initiative "Don't touch my internet", Özgür Uçkan from the teaching staff of Bilgi University, President of the Turkish Internet Association Füsun Yıldız, Mehmet Ali Köksal from the Informatics Association of Turkey, Ayten Yiğit from the Istanbul Internet Café Owners, journalist Serhat Ayan, İsmail Hakkı Polat from the Kadır Has University, Tanju Erkoç from the Free Telecommunications Operators' Association (TELKODER) and Assoc. Prof. Yaman Akdeniz who submitted a petition to cancel the decision for the filter to the Council of State on behalf of bianet. Representatives of the Internet Committee and the Telecommunication Communication Presidency (TİB) were among the audience as well as Cengiz Tanrıkulu from the Ministry of Justice.

The basics of the internet filter system were laid down in a decision taken by the Information Technology and Communications Committee on 22 February. The first part of the meeting was held as a forum where the participants conveyed their opinions, criticism and questions regarding the decision in an extensive session that comprised each and every angle and aspect.

TİB Internet Office President Osman Nihat Şen said after a brief intermission that the posed questions were going to be answered. However, Şen's contribution was more of an announcement rather than giving answers. "Complaints of citizens [about internet contents] were raining down on us. We designed this system accordingly as a solution to the problems of the citizens" Şen explained and emphasized, "We have to find a solution for the citizens who are not able to solve their problems on their own".

Talking about "complaints from citizens", Şen referred to complaints filed to INHOPE, the International Association of Internet Hotlines. The number of complaints coming from Turkey was disproportionally higher compared to the other INHOPE member states, he said.

Subsequently, internet expert Yaman Akdeniz clarified in his speech that complaints made to INHOPE were usually related to child pornography but as far as Turkey was concerned, all sorts of complaints were forwarded to INHOPE without special weight on this specific topic. "In statistical terms it is therefore unsustainable to say that complaints from Turkey exceed by far the number of complaints from other countries", Akdeniz put Şen's statement into perspective.

Internet café entrepreneur Aytekin Yiğit underlined the fact that the internet was mostly being used at three different places. At schools and at homes, filters are in use anyways so he asked whether the filter was actually aimed to be used at home.

One of the most crucial points of the meeting was made by İsmail Hakkı Polat. He suggested, "Awareness must be raised instead of installing a filter. The decision of the committee must be withdrawn immediately". Having said that, Committee President Serhat Özener who lead through the session asked the participants if anybody else was supporting this request. When everybody in the audience raised their hands, he added for the record, "Everybody supports the request".

This was the actual result of the meeting. Almost the entire group of participants supported the proposal to withdraw the committee's decision. Internet café entrepreneur Metin Baltaoğlu was the only participant who claimed to be very happy with the filter system.

The following days will show whether the Information Technology and Communication Committee is going to take the message of the meeting into consideration. (ŞA/VK)