Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has hinted he may implement a ban on Facebook and YouTube following this month’s elections. President Abdullah Gul has resolved to block the move, calling it “out of the question.”
The move follows the release of leaks online that revealed alleged government corruption and embezzlement of public funds
In an interview on a late night program on private ATV
television, Erdogan spoke about what he perceives as the damaging
influence of social media. He said he would not let social media
companies capture the nation and said measures would be
introduced to crackdown on Facebook and YouTube following the
elections this month.
"There are new steps we will take in that sphere after March
30... including a ban," Erdogan said. "We are determined
on this subject. We will not leave this nation at the mercy of
YouTube and Facebook."
When he was asked whether he considered blocking access to the
site, the PM answered: “Yes, closure included.”
President Abdullah Gul spoke out against the idea, calling it “out of the question” in the statement. The Turkish President has the power to send laws back to parliament for reconsideration, but cannot do it more than once.
Social media has been capitalized upon to disseminate links to
Erdogan’s leaked telephone conversations that implicate him in
corruption and graft. One of the latest leaks to emerge was a
telephone conversation between Erdogan and his son where they
allegedly discuss how to hide large sums of money.
It is not the first time that social media has come under fire in
Turkey. YouTube was blocked there between 2007 and 2010 at the
behest of a court order over videos that allegedly insulted
modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. More recently,
Erdogan branded Twitter as a “scourge” for helping
organize last year’s nationwide protests.
Turkey’s Ministry of Family and Social Policy has also put
forward a bill that would introduce strict limits on the use of
the internet and social media. The legislation stipulates an
amendment that would allow government ministers to block websites
deemed to infringe privacy, as well as force internet providers
to retain information on their users, for up to two years.
The bill provoked a wave of angry protests in Turkey, with
demonstrators branding Erdogan a “dictator.”
Erdogan’s government has been embroiled in scandal recently
following a high-profile corruption investigation that triggered
the resignation of three ministers and a cabinet reshuffle.
Erdogan claims the probe is an attempt by his political rivals to
discredit his government.
In particular, he has pointed the finger at US-based Turkish
Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who he claims is behind the
“fabricated” audio recordings that have been posted
online. Gulen has denied the accusations and his followers have
criticized Erdogan of attempting to divert public attention from
the corruption scandal.
The PM, however, continues to push to open a case against the
self-exiled cleric in a move that could open the door to his
extradition from the US.
In spite of the corruption scandal, Erdogan claims that the
elections later this month will reaffirm the popularity of his
Justice and Development Party (AK) with the Turkish people.