August 23, 2017
BTK President Sayan stated at the Content Providers General Information Meeting, the first of its kind held under the BTK umbrella: “Instead of saying ‘I didn’t see, didn’t hear, don’t know!’, we must open our communication channels to each other sincerely by saying, ‘I saw the evils and risks on the internet, I know them, and I am fully aware of all these!’”
The Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) hosted the Internet Content Providers General Information Meeting. The meeting, attended by internet content providers, featured sectoral briefings and consultations, and began with the opening speech by BTK President Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan. The program continued with a panel attended by internet content providers as well as guests from the sector. The panel, chaired by BTK Vice President Dr. Ahmet Kılıç, included speakers such as Deputy General Secretary of the Access Providers Association Ms. Attorney Seda Uysal, BTK Internet Department Legal Evaluation Coordinator Mr. Attorney Bahadır Aziz Sakin, Mynet News Manager Satı Kaya, and Attorney Özge Işık from Turkuvaz Media Group.
“WE ARE AWARE OF THE EVILS AND RISKS ON THE INTERNET”
BTK President Sayan, emphasizing the need for mutual and healthy relationships to establish correct and effective communication in the age of communication, said: “In our journey as an institution to turn the technological device that affects and shapes our world to the advantage of society, your support and companionship will enrich our path, illuminate it, and open new doors for us.
We consider it beneficial and essential for the future of our country and our entire society to strengthen and activate our mutual dialogue and communication channels.
“Instead of saying ‘I didn’t see, didn’t hear, don’t know!’, we must open our communication channels to each other sincerely by saying, ‘I saw the evils and risks on the internet, I know them, and I am fully aware of all these!’. We particularly demand this from you, the content providers.”
BTK President Sayan spoke about the intensity of events occurring online in one minute, and in addition to all these activities, expressed that crimes such as child sexual abuse, illegal gambling sites that exploit national resources/mostly located abroad, directing young people to suicide through certain games, ransomware via malicious software, and cyberbullying also find a place in this medium. President Sayan continued: “We witness that some people who do not easily use harsh words in daily life exhibit a character completely inconsistent with real life when they connect to the virtual world, as if something else emerges from within them. In this regard, research needs to be conducted at universities on the psychology of internet use. Private lives are severely violated due to shares on sites referred to as exposure sites. Individuals’ private images are published without their consent. I would like to immediately note that the powers given by the law are being used to the fullest, especially against these sites, and our Institution has conducted and is conducting administrative proceedings against hundreds (637) of sites known as exposure sites. Hundreds of applications received through our internet information reporting center at ihbarweb.org.tr are examined one by one by our experts, evidenced, and citizens’ complaints are addressed.”
Stating that there are other examples that can be given on the subject, President Sayan said: “As can be seen, the internet stands before us as a new arena for humanity’s dualistic nature in the historical encounter between crime and innocence, good and evil. The internet is a world where the bad and good sides of humanity clash mercilessly, with child sexual abuse on one side and access to beneficial information for child development on the other... In addition, the issue of our people being misinformed through terrorism propaganda on social media is on the agenda. Some countries’ misguided policies are forcing the virtual world to become a media planning center and press office for terrorism. Underscoring this point, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan summarized the problem with the famous Arab proverb ‘men dakka dukka’. Our country, which has struggled against terrorism for many years and experienced this process at its highest level with the July 15 coup and occupation attempt, is being misrepresented and seemingly punished through publications from certain accounts on social media.”
Providing examples from Europe on hate speech crimes and mentioning fines and legal sanctions imposed particularly on social media platforms, President Sayan stated that BTK works as the authorized institution in combating crimes committed on the internet in Turkey.
Referring to Law No. 5651, which authorizes BTK in this regard, “The said law adopts self-regulation and notice-and-takedown principles, unlike censorship, enabling individuals to navigate freely on the internet without encountering criminal publications. Moreover, those who read it will see that the law contains provisions protecting victims. I would like to remind that a large number of applications are made to our Institution on this matter. I would like to state that we must progress towards our 2023 targets in the internet environment as well with confident steps and in a collaborative manner that sets an example.”
A HEALTHY INTERNET ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Speaking about the responsibilities of BTK and content providers in creating a healthy internet environment free from terrorism, child sexual abuse, illegal gambling, prostitution, and promotion of drug use for future generations, President Sayan continued: “The necessary work for this does not end with us or you content providers alone. At the same time, users need to be made aware through warning publications against illegal content. While taking preventive measures, the longest but most permanent measure for conscious, safe, and effective internet use is awareness and education efforts. Research clearly demonstrates the need for these efforts. In this context, it is essential to raise awareness especially among families who have lower digital literacy than their children. Within this framework, we are conducting some categorical studies as an Institution to promote safe internet use. To ensure the internet safety of our children and youth, our Institution launched the Safe Internet Service in 2011, which I believe you all know. Today, our users receive this service free of charge. Strengthening and expanding the safe internet service to protect our children and youth from the harms of the virtual world, and making it used by more subscribers, is of great importance. For citizens requesting this service, we offer options such as family profile and child profile.”
INTERNET SECURITY WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF FREEDOMS
BTK President Sayan announced that two safe internet trucks provided to our Institution by the Access Providers Association within the scope of safe internet use activities have been projected to operate in schools.
Stating that they will continue to ensure the security of our children and youth in the internet environment within the framework of freedoms and offer them new opportunities, President Sayan said: “The ‘Safer Internet Day’, organized worldwide every February, has been held with wide participation within our institution since 2010. Foreign content providers such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have shown great interest with booth activities and teams at the Safer Internet Events celebrated with the participation of civil society organizations, students, sector representatives, and the public. However, we consider the indifference of you domestic content providers to this event regrettable.
At the same time, we are confident that we will see you actively among us in the upcoming events.
On this occasion, I would like to emphasize that we value and desire your participation as domestic content providers in the Safer Internet Day to be held in February 2018. I invite you all in advance.”
WE ARE PARTS OF A WHOLE
Expressing that they work as parts of a whole, Sayan stated that they are ready to provide all kinds of support in domestic content production and added: “We will be by your side to prevent all kinds of negativities that will trouble you, such as your websites being subjected to cyber attacks or being imitated. Our USOM unit within the Institution will be by your side 24/7 against this and similar negativities. Upon your request, our USOM unit is also ready to conduct penetration tests on your sites. It is considered beneficial for your current information to be available on your site for faster communication with you and for the healthy operation of notice-and-takedown mechanisms.”
WE HAVE MORE FAITH THAN HOPE, AND MORE HOPE THAN FAITH
Drawing attention to the increasing evil in the virtual world where the world’s order is disrupted, President Sayan said: “If we want to see the greed of the modern world that will lead humanity entirely to disaster, the ruthless capitalist system, and approaches based on exploiting the weak even more, watching an evening news bulletin is enough. As for the perception operations mostly based on consolation in the media: The modern world can neither understand the refugee problem from baby Aylan nor comprehend the dimensions reached by a civil war from child Umran. The serums given with these viral photos will not save modern man from the depressions he falls into because he only thinks of himself. We need to think about what we have lost in major events where the virtual satisfaction provided by the internet and social media will cause humanity’s destruction. However, we are not hopeless. On the contrary, we have more faith than hope, and more hope than faith. We are the children of a nation that learned the Internet of Things from what Islamic Philosopher Ibn Arabi wrote 800 years ago about the language of things, the cyber world from Gaylani’s narrations of different realms, smart cities from Farabi’s Virtuous City, ancient Greece that formed the foundations of Rome from Ghazali, the culture of living together in unity without discriminating people from Haji Bektash Veli, harboring love in the heart that can accept everyone from Mevlana, and humility in incarnating into flesh and bone from dervish Yunus after knowing all these. The seeds that form our faith are these, and our hopes rise from these soils where the seeds are sown. The virtual world must be bound by law, and we must first express this understanding in our roots and then carry it to dominance. Otherwise, it is a disaster for the whole world.”
BTK President Sayan expressed his hope that the evaluations and discussions to be held would contribute to the ongoing studies on regulation in the eyes of the public, content providers, and other internet actors, and concluded his speech by thanking the participants.