Turkish citizens can once more access the net’s plethora of cat videos due to a court ruling on Friday that eliminated a three-year YouTube ban. In 2007, YouTube was banned when disparaging remarks were made on the service concerning the country’s revered founder of state, Mustafa Kemal Atataturk.
The ruling arrives just as Turkey finds itself in the middle of important debate regarding reform of its stifling ” Internet Law.”
Opponents of the law, like current Turkish president Abdullah Gul and OSCE Media freedom rep Dunja Mijatovic, want it changed so that citizens can become a ” portion of today’s global information society.”
More than 30 Google sites have also been banned over the last three years, mostly as a result of ” national dignity” issues that disparage Atataturk. [ Yahoo News ]
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