<videovortex> Computerworld: YouTube blocked in Turkey (plus 30 comments)

[Geert Lovink]

January 22, 2008 - 6:23 A.M.
YouTube blocked in Turkey

30 comments

It's not unheard of for countries to attempt to control their 
populations by banning Internet access (China springs immediately to 
mind). The Associated Press reported that last year Morocco and 
Thailand - while not going so far as to ban Internet access - did block 
their citizens from accessing YouTube. They contended that clips and 
videos were posted that were offensive to their governments.

Now Turkey is banning YouTube (not the first time) because of some 
clips that allegedly disrespect Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (the country's 
founding father). The last time Turkey imposed the ban it was lifted 
just two days later - but only after YouTube removed the videos in 
question.

Like most everyone else, I check out YouTube clips once in a while. 
Lots of times I exit pretty fast when I don't particularly enjoy what 
I'm seeing - I just can't be bothered wasting my time. Maybe it's 
because I live in a free country, but I'm confident enough to know when 
I'm looking at something insulting or disrespectful. I don't need my 
government (or any government, for that matter) to tell me and I 
certainly don't need the government to prevent me from seeing it! It 
makes me wonder why Turkey lacks confidence in the intelligence of its 
citizenry.

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