AKP statement on Instagram and Roblox: Targets opposition for criticizing the ban

The access ban imposed on Instagram by the BTK decision continues on its eighth day.

While reactions to the Instagram ban are growing, an access ban was immediately imposed on the gaming platform Roblox as well.

AKP Deputy Chairman Ömer İleri made statements regarding the access bans imposed on Instagram and Roblox.

Stating that social media platforms have side effects, İleri argued that they have taken measures within the framework of legal regulations.

Stating that social media channels are important for the communication of society but are also channels that need to be regulated, İleri said that the current process is a "mechanical process" that should be evaluated within the framework of the legislation currently in force.

İleri continued as follows:

"The legislation is clear, the rules are clear, the obligations imposed on social media channels are clear. If these obligations are not met, the measures to be implemented are clear, the sanctions are clear. Especially the fact that they have not met the expectations and obligations regarding catalog crimes, but beyond that, they are trying to shape and direct the communication within our own country by subjecting it to a kind of censorship. These are worrying points. Beyond that, the fact that they do not take these measures against the posts of terrorist organizations. So, when you put these three together, the picture that emerges is the reality that Instagram must be followed in terms of complying with the laws of this country."

Stating that the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has taken a measure based on the relevant articles within the scope of Law No. 5651 and that the process consists of this, İleri said, "Mutual discussions have been held regarding the conclusion of the process. This process is ongoing. Our relevant institution and our Minister of Transport have made statements. We hope that this process will end with a good result in a short time. But of course, the point we need to underline and emphasize is this: social media channels operating in this country may be foreign companies, they may of course have their own specific rules, but at the end of the day, they have to comply with the laws of this country. This is our basic message."

"THERE IS A JUDICIAL DECISION TAKEN TO PROTECT CHILDREN"

Reminding that an access ban has also been imposed on the gaming platform Roblox, İleri recalled that a court decision is involved in the Roblox case and that the BTK is implementing this court decision.

Emphasizing that the content of this judicial decision is related to child abuse, İleri noted the following:

"On one hand, there is the issue of implementing a court decision, which is very natural and as it should be, but on the other hand, there is a judicial decision taken to protect children, who are the apple of our eye socially. The Roblox process is also a judicial process. It is a process related to the implementation of the court decision by the BTK. The progress of the process is again related to this court decision, the additional measures that the relevant platform will take based on this court decision, and the new decisions that the judiciary will make based on these additional measures."

TARGETED THE OPPOSITION

İleri criticized the reaction shown by the opposition regarding the bans imposed on Instagram and Roblox. Stating, "I think that moving away from a national stance while criticizing the government or for the sake of criticizing the government is perhaps the most painful trap an opposition can fall into," İleri said, "I say with regret that the understanding of opposition in Turkey has fallen into this trap again, as it always does."

Pointing out that the opposition's statements from the very first moment have been shaped around the concept of "censorship," just as in the disinformation regulation, İleri spoke as follows:

"Both in the Instagram process and in the Roblox process, which is a completely judicial process, they are trying to produce a discourse through censorship. I want to emphasize that this is very unfortunate. It is important to always display a national stance on such critical issues. First of all, as a matter of principle, we have to state this: any company operating in this country must comply with the laws of this country, period... I mean, can there be any disagreement on this point? I don't think there should be. Is it something we can accept as a country that the posts we make about our own current issues and agenda are shaped by a foreign company in line with the policies they call their 'community guidelines'? Of course not. Our basic expectation and demand here is that if these social media channels show respect for state rules in the Western world, they will show this respect here as well. This is the basic expectation. Our state institutions are naturally following this process. The process actually consists of this."

Pointing out that politics is a platform for consensus, İleri said, "There is a problem. There is a situation of domination that some foreign-origin companies are trying to establish over our country. This situation of domination needs to be resolved and resolved correctly. It needs to be resolved in line with the interests of the nation. That is the issue."

News Source: AA