Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan met with students at Google's iftar program.
Speaking at the iftar program hosted by the Information Technologies Authority (BTK) and sponsored by Google, Deputy Minister Sayan touched upon the fact that young people have very different opportunities due to being born into technology.
Noting that information children used to learn by asking their families in the past is now obtained from search engines, Sayan warned, “Search engines simply present information existing in the limitless world of the internet without filtering it. During these information transfers, there may often be incorrect, false, or outdated information. Therefore, we should read the information we get from internet platforms carefully and verify it if possible.”
Emphasizing that the Safe Internet Service, launched by BTK in 2011, protects young people from the harmful effects of the internet, Sayan stated, “Not only personal information but also information vital for countries can be found in the data stores of the internet. The world has reached a point where ensuring technological, or in other words, cyber security has surpassed military security in many areas. The risk of security vulnerabilities in applications sourced from abroad is very high; this is an undeniable fact.”
Strongly emphasizing that Turkey's data should remain in Turkey, Sayan said, “For this, we need to continue with domestic applications and software. You also need to support us and help take these software to the next level. If we talk about messaging software, BİP, LAF, or DEDİ; if we talk about search engines, YAANİ, which does not use any search engine base, is entirely written by Turkish engineers, and its algorithm is fully adapted to Turkish. The continuation will come much faster and stronger. Of course, with your effort and belief. As the Ministry, we will solidify your success journey by providing the necessary support and training.”
Sayan concluded his speech with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s words: “Just as we cannot be independent without ruling our lands, we cannot sustain our independence without mastering technology. We do not even have a single day to lose for our country to be in a position that leads the world in the field of technology.”