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Turkey on Saturday blocked access to all content of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, the latest squeeze on information access in the country.

Turkey Blocks, an organization that monitors internet censorship, said an administrative order blocked all language versions of the online encyclopedia.

Several major internet operators had complied with the order.

"The loss of availability is consistent with internet filters used to censor content in the country," Turkey Blocks said.The organization added that an administrative order was usually followed by a full court order.

Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) said the administrative measure was taken after "technical analysis and legal consideration on Law Nr. 5651."

The 18-page Law Nr. 5651 deals broadly with "fighting crimes" published on the internet.

More sophisticated and prepared internet users were still able to access Wikipedia using virtual private networks (VPN).

Wikipedia seeks "outside counsel" with Turkey mum over block

No reason was given for blocking the world's fifth most popular website, but critics on social media speculated it may have to do with this month's controversial constitutional referendum or an entry about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey's private NTV television network, which itself has come under criticism for censoring anti-government content, said access to Wikipedia was blocked for content supporting terrorism. It also said the block was implemented due to entries "placing Turkey on the same level as the 'Islamic State'" despite requests to remove the content.

NTV said the block would be lifted after the US-based Wikipedia implemented four demands: opening a representative office in Turkey; complying with court orders; acting in line with international law; and refraining from taking part in "operations to denigrate" Turkey.

In response to a Deutsche Welle inquiry, the Wikipedia Foundation saidthat it is "committed to ensuring that Wikipedia remains available to the millions of people who rely on it in Turkey. To that end, we are actively working with outside counsel to seek judicial review of the decision affecting access to Wikipedia. We hope the issue can be resolved promptly."

Surveillance softwareused?

A volunteer at Turkey Blocks told DW he suspected Turkish authorities used "Deep Packet Inspection" (DPI) software used by some countries for surveillance and censorship to block Wikipedia. "Normally http websites are easily blocked, but https websites such as Wikipedia are not as easy. As a result, when blocking a more advanced technique is used," she said.

"My guess is that a DPI was used to block Wikipedia. We know the Turkish state boughtDPI software before, so there is a high likelihood they use this software for censorship and intelligence," she added.

Following the block, Wikipedia was the top trending hashtag worldwide and in Turkey.

Turkish authority's move to block the hugely popularwebsite is likely to add to concerns over the deterioration in the rule of law, democracy and basic freedoms in the country.

Turkey has in recent years temporarily blocked access to numerous websites, most notably Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Blocking or throttling internet access has become commonduring terror attacks, mass protests or in response to the internet companies' failure to remove content.

Authorities often ask social media and internet companies to cooperate in removing content for defamation or broadly defined terrorism, particularly related to Kurdish militants.

Hundreds of websites critical of the government are blocked in Turkey.

Read more here:
Turkey blocks Wikipedia, expanding censorship - Deutsche Welle

Following a damning report over the weekend by Chinas state-run broadcaster, China Central Television, alleging the proliferation of vulgar content through popular live streaming apps, authorities in Beijing met yesterday with the operators of three popular apps, ordering them to fully submit to rectification, or zhenggai a term that refers in Chinese to an overhaul of operations, possibly involving the removal or reshuffling of management staff.

The three app operators were reportedly invited to discussions with the Beijing municipal office of the Cyberspace Administration of China and ordered to immediately desist from unspecified violations of Chinese regulations.

They include Toutiao (), an app that offers automated selection of news stories, and Volcano Live () and Pepper Live (), both social platforms for live video streaming. Toutiao was apparently included in the action against live streaming services because it began providing regular links to live streamed shows last year.

Pepper Live. Photo: Pepper Live website screenshot.

The discussions reportedly involved the municipal public security bureau as well as the Administrative Law Enforcement Corps of the Culture Market (), which often spearheads local campaigns in China against obscene or pornographic content.

The Administrative Law Enforcement Corps has already opened investigations against the above-mentioned live streaming services, state media reported, and will refer criminal cases against individual live broadcasterspresumably meaning users of the servicesto the police.

The next step, according to media reports, is for the three official agencies to take up the issue of content violations with Apple Inc., demanding that it strengthen review procedures for live streaming services offered through its AppStore.

See also:In Pictures: China live streaming Would-be internet stars boost a billion-dollar market

Live streaming apps emerged in China during the second half of 2015, developing rapidly. By the end of 2015, the country had close to 200 live streaming platforms in operation. The emerging industry experienced tremendous growth in China in 2016, reaching an estimated 344 million users by years end.

But live streaming apps have also come under intense scrutiny. Earlier this month, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the internet control body created by President Xi Jinping in 2014, announced that it had shut down 18 live streaming apps operating illegally, saying anchors, or individual program hosts, had spread illegal content, dressed in military or police uniforms or were scantily dressed and acted flirtatiously.

The online behaviour of the anchors violated relevant internet information service or live streaming laws and regulations, offended socialist core values, and brought negative impact to the healthy growth of the young and teenagers, the CAC said.

The Cyberspace Administration of Chinas website. Photo: Website screenshot.

The agency has so far blacklisted close to 2,000 anchors it said had severely violated relevant regulations, preventing them from registering new accounts on live streaming platforms.

While the report from CCTV and campaigns against live streaming have emphasised the need to restrict indecent content for the benefit of Chinese youth, it is also clear that tightening restrictions are part of a broader effort to assert control over all forms of content finding space through these new services.

Back in January, an article in the Peoples Tribune, published by the official Peoples Daily, noted that streaming platforms made it difficult to control guidance of speech (), a reference to the overarching goal of social and political control through the media. The article also said some content on live streaming platforms disadvantaged the correct channelling of public opinion, a term denoting the Partys control and manipulation of information.

Owing to the fact that online anchors do not require examination of credentials to start working, it said, some anchors lack political literacy and media integrity. They take a shallow view of problems and wantonly criticise political events, inciting the sentiments of the people and demonising public figures.

Their inflammatory and severe language disadvantages correct channelling of public opinion, harms the development of general political literacy, and even unleashes irrational and extreme patriotic behaviour, doing damage to society.

Soon after news of the discussion with the three apps went public yesterday, one of the companies concerned, Pepper Live, posted a notice online in which it thanked CCTV for its attention to and monitoring of the live streaming industry, and pledged to improve its oversight, helping to clean up the live streaming environment.

Noting that it already had 600 internal staff dedicated to content review on a 24-hour basis, the platform said it would further expand the intensity of oversight in light of line-balls a reference to media content that falls just out of bounds or pushes the envelope.

See also:Chinese authorities order overhaul of video site that posted footage of Tiananmen car incident

As an industry that is still very young, live streaming is in a period of rapid development, and a number of problems have emerged in this process, read the notice from Pepper Live.

As we strengthen our internal controls, we also call on our colleagues in the live streaming industry to respect national laws and regulations, strengthening the oversight and management of live streaming content, and building a green and healthy live streaming environment.

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Chinese authorities strike against live streaming apps: Morality or censorship? - Hong Kong Free Press

Datuk Kamil Othman said most censorship boards elsewhere are parked under a ministry that is arts and culture-centric, or security-centric. Picture by Choo Choy MayPETALING JAYA April 30 Malaysias controversial Film Censorship Board (LPF) might progress faster if it were moved out from under the Home Ministrys purview, a ministerial advisor suggested.

Datuk Kamil Othman, creative industries advisor to the Communications and Multimedia Ministry, said that most censorship boards elsewhere are parked under the arts and culture ministry or its equivalent.

Whereas here [its] under Ministry of Home Affairs, so because its Home Affairs, obviously they are more concerned with security and bigger picture and all that.

So the right way is one day hopefully, if enough of us managed to say that look perhaps the situation lies more in putting the Censorship Board under the right ministry, maybe thats the answer, he told a public forum on censorship last Thursday night.

Kamil was responding to a question on whether it would be helpful to have people from the film industry sitting as independent members of the LPF.

While the LFP is a government body filled with government servants in its current set-up, Kamil said there are specialists among its board members who understand the need for flexibility even as they must consider local sensitivities when approving movies for Malaysian mass consumption.

At the end of the day, its about reviewing the law. Reviewing the law is not as difficult as it seems, provided theres enough momentum, he said.

The Censorship Act is not like something from the Holy Quran or from the Bible or the other holy scriptures which cannot be changed. It is man-made, so anything that is man-made I believe can only come with a proper engagement process and education as a tool, Kamil said.

For change to happen, he said there must be enough public momentum to push federal lawmakers to act.

However, he said the Malaysian film industry is not a top priority locally compared to other countries due to its low level as an economic generator, and gave as example, the 2015 award-winning Western movie The Revenant starring Leonardo DiCaprio that supported 15,000 jobs.

What do the Brits do?

To Kamil, the UK experience and shift in attitude towards censorship also offers some worthwhile lessons to Malaysia.

Originally called the British Board of Film Censorship, it is now known as the British Board of Film Classification. While its board members still propose cuts, their main task today is to act as examiners and decide the appropriate ratings of a film for mass consumption.

In the UK too, different local councils have great leeway in deciding what films are suitable and how they should be screened in their area. As the licensing authority for cinemas in their areas, the town councils have the final word and can even change the ratings of a movie or bar its screening locally.

Kamil later told Malay Mail Online after the forum that the LPF might have a different positioning if a decision on the board's direction is made after proper engagement with the public.

He also noted there are some who are still concerned about the communications aspect of films rather than just seeing them as pure entertainment.

Founder and MD of Red Communications and Red Films, Lina Tan agrees that local censorship laws should be amended. Picture by Choo Choy MayTech and the law

Film producer Lina Tan, who was also one of the forum speakers, agreed that local censorship laws should be amended.

To her, technology has made censorship outdated; it is also a game-changer, particularly for independent filmmakers who have more options and who can now bypass censors and reach a wider audience directly through the internet.

But she noted that commercial filmmakers would still follow the traditional route of working within legal limits because they had business and financial considerations, as well as obligations to safeguard their employees livelihood.

The unorthodox online screening of Absent Without Leavedirected by Sitiawan-born Lau Kek Huat for a week at the end of February this year generated much buzz among Malaysians after the LPF banned its theatrical release, especially when the award-winning film had been shown at film festivals abroad.

Absent Without Leave was made available on the Internet to local viewers for free. Picture via Facebook/Absent Without LeaveResponding to a question over the regulation of films viewed offline and online in Malaysia, Kamil said that the MSC Bill of Guarantees in the 1990s promising no censorship of the internet still stands, but the government had introduced the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to regulate cyber content as it was well aware that such freedom is a double-edged sword.

As it was never defined what can or cannot be shown online, the internet regulator will act whenever it receives public complaints, he explained.

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan says such a broad scope is outdated and the Film Censorship Act needs a review. Picture by Choo Choy MayReigning in overly-broad powers

What many may not know is that the Film Censorship Act is worded broadly enough to be used against online content, including videos shared through social media platforms like WhatsApp, if the authorities wished, civil liberties lawyer Syahredzan Johan said.

Syahredzan who was also one of the forum panellists that night said such a broad scope is outdated and needs a review.

He also pointed out the ridiculous nature of the current provisions of the Film Censorship Act which replaced a 1952 law where even owning a film without the boards approval would be considered a crime.

Just from the point of view of technology, it has moved away from 2002 when this law was first enacted, so it doesnt make sense. Why is it that we are accepting that these people have power over us to even record something, have something in possession, circulate it? he asked.

Syahredzan proposed several changes to the Film Censorship Act, including removing the requirement for the Film Censorship Boards approval to screen films that are not for commercial use, while also giving the ratings system more prominence for films that have to go through LPF before screening in cinemas.

The LPF doesnt have to give approval, they can give classifications or ratings, he said.

But he suggested the board should retain the power to specifically ban certain films such as those that promote hate speech, if screening them posed a real threat to public order or national security.

I personally dont agree we need to censor or prohibit, but maybe an argument can be made if you have a film that the objective is to spread hatred against another race group for example.

So you can have residual power to ban, but not prior approval from the board to do anything, he said.

He also said the law must also be amended to enable the courts the power to review decisions by the Films Appeal Committee.

Section 23 of the Film Censorship Actstates that the Films Appeal Committee has the power to either affirm, vary or reverse LPFs decisions and that the committees decision shall be final and shall not be questioned in any court of law.

The panellists were speaking at Thursday nights The Future of Cinema and Censorship in Malaysia, which was jointly organised by Pusat Komas, the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights and the Freedom Film Network.

* Editors note: The article has been updated on May 1, 2017.

Continue reading here:
Which direction should film censorship in Malaysia go? - Malay Mail Online

THE NATIONAL Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) committee on media reform will today consider removing the proposed licensing requirement for media professionals from its draft media regulation bill due to strong industry opposition and concerns that such a requirement could lead to more problems, chairman ACM Kanit Suwannet said.

However, the proposed 15-person national media council will still include two representatives from the government to ensure smooth cooperation between the public and private sector on media affairs, he said, adding that the two slots would be phased out in six years after two fixed terms of three years each are completed.

The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) plans to submit a formal letter to the NRSA vice president Alongkorn Ponlaboot today asking for the proposed reform draft to be withdrawn.

The licensing requirement and government representation on the national media council have become hot issues for the government as it faces strong criticism for attempting to control the media sector

According to Kanit, the government would not be able to interfere in media affairs or curb media freedom because the media sector would have up to seven representatives on the 15-member council, while the NRSA committee had agreed to consider removing the controversial licensing requirement as a compromise with opponents of the bill.

In addition, he said, government representatives on the media council were necessary to ensure that both public and private sectors work together to reform the media sector, but the national media council would in the end have only 13 members after two government slots are removed after six years.

At this stage, the permanent secretaries of the PMs Office and Ministry of Culture are tipped to be the governments representatives on the national media council.

However, Chaovarong Limpatama-panee, president of the National Press Council of Thailand (NPCT), said earlier he would not join a committee tasked with preparing the establishment of the new national media council as suggested by the NRSA.

NPCT spokesman Pratchaya-chai Datuyawat said the government would still be able to interfere in media affairs due to the proposed structure of the new national media council, even though the licensing requirement might be suspended at this stage. He said other professional bodies such as Medical Council or the Lawyers Council had no government representatives on their board.

Yesterday, reporters covering Parliament also urged the NRSA to withdraw the draft media regulation bill, saying in a statement: It is unacceptable to let the state take part in favouring or penalising mass media and social media practitioners as stipulated in the draft bill.

Journalists and members of the public have raised concerns that such a mechanism would give authorities undue control over the media, which should be independent given their role in scrutinising various authorities.

Any law related to the media should be designed to protect rights and freedom of the media practitioners to create a mechanism for freedom of the press on the basis of public interest, they said in the statement.

Media bodies have also threatened to protest on World Press Freedom Day this Wednesday and have vowed to fight it at every stage of the legislation.

Since last week, many media professionals have framed their social networking profile photos with a picture of pigeons breaking free from a chain, with the motto: Stop licensing the media. Stop controlling the people.

They also took to change.org calling for the NRSA to halt deliberations. More than 400 people have signed the online petition.

The bill would set a punishment for media practising without a licence at three years imprisonment and a fine of up to Bt60,000.

Veteran journalist Suthichai Yoon wrote in his column Black Coffee in Krungthep Turakij, The Nations sister newspaper, that reporting under such conditions would make it impossible for the media to be straightforward or question abuses of power.

Politicians would definitely be able to interfere through the professional council directly or indirectly, he wrote.

In addition, Suthichai pointed out the licence reflected the line of thought of authoritarianism that aims to control freedom of expression.

Press freedom is peoples freedom. If one wants to chain the media, then he wants to cage the peoples thoughts, the journalist wrote.

Pramed Lekpetch, TJA president, said the media had no problem with having a professional council. However, such a mechanism should rely on self-regulation with no state interference.

This is not media reform. It is media control and opens they way for the state to interfere with us, Pramed said.

What the media had to do was warn the people of the dangers that the bill would make scrutiny impossible amid a plague of corruption, Pramed said. And the media must send the message to the powers-that-be that reforms, not a control mechanism, were necessary.

Thepchai Yong, president of the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, said the bill would have a chilling effect on press freedom as the media would be vulnerable to political interference. He said the proposed media ethics council, staffed partly with top bureaucrats and given vast powers, could be easily abused. If the military junta allows this bill to become law, it will essentially hand the politicians coming to power in the future a legal tool to control the media, he said.

Thepchai appealed to the NRSA to seriously ponder the consequences. It would deal a big blow not only to press freedom but also to Thai peoples freedom of expression, he said.

Read more:
NRSA rethink on media licensing - The Nation

Srinagar: In view of the recent state government ban ordering suspension of scores of social networking sites and instant messaging services, netizens here are busy searching and downloading alternative social networking sites and applications. Around 22 social networking sites and applicationswere suspended here for a period of one month or till further orders. The popular social networking sites Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and YouTube (Upload) were among other banned social networking sites and applications. The government, in its order,had said thatcontinued misuse of social networking sites and instant messaging serviceswere likely to be detrimental to the interests of peace and tranquility in the state.

The ban came at a time when there have been widespread protests by students across the Valley. The mobile internet service was suspended in the Valley April 17following widespread protests by student against police crackdown on Degree College Pulwama in south Kashmir on April 15 that left over 50 students injured. This was followed by protests in colleges and higher secondary schools in the Valley on April 17. On the same day, a police order went out jamming high-speed networks, 3G and 4G mobile internet networks.This was followed by the government order banning the sites, April 25.

The state government has for the first time banned social networking sites in Kashmir. It is worth mentioning here that all the banned sites and applications can be accessed through government-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and through Virtual Private Networks (VPN).

Internet has been reportedly blocked more than 28 times since 2012 in the Valley. It is a mockery that on one side state government bans social networking sites and applications and on the other hand these sites can be easily accessed through government-run BSNL. The order should have been first implemented by the government-run service provider instead of the axe falling on private players, said a group of local residents here, adding, even last year when the mobile internet service was blocked for months together in the Valley, BSNL operated without any hinderance.

With the ban in place, many new applications like Signal, Imoetc have been making rounds. Beyond using VPN, people desperately feel the need of alternative applications. The local developers claim that there has been a surge in downloads of local social networks and applications such as Pipe, Connect Kashmir, KashmirChat and memberships on their social networks.

Irked by the ban, startups and business owners who promote their businesses online through social media advertisements accused that the gag would kill most of these startups within no time discouraging the entire young community about starting business in Kashmir and financiers in investing in these startups. Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Mushtaq Ahmad said that the ban was a disaster for the business community.

The student community emphasized that the ban would add to their miseries. The social media helped us to stay connected with our families and friends.This was cheap means to communicate and government has snatched that as well, said a group of youth, adding that government is denying the people access to information apart from freedom to speech and expression as enshrined in the Constitution.

Though some quarters strongly believed that social media acted as a force multiplier during agitations causing mass anger by instantly relaying unconfirmed news, there is another section of opinion which believed that the ban would prove counter-productive and magnify rumours. Yet another section of opinion holds that netizens would find other ways to express themselves. Earlier, when Short Messaging Service (sms) was popular, it was banned in Kashmir. Later internet was often blocked in Kashmir and now the social media networking sites are also banned.

The social media ban will force people to costly mediums like direct calls as people nowadays rarely use ISD calling as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook calling saved them lot of money. Some users even complained that the search engine Google was blocked on some private service providers while the same could be accessed on other private service providers leading to chaos and confusion. Mobile internet was suspended for nearly five months here last summer in view of the unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani alongwith his two associates in south Kashmir in July.

Member Parliament and National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, while interacting with a traders delegation here on April 26 said that the communication blockade invoked by PDP-BJP coalition partners would play havoc with the States economy and in turn render thousands of youth jobless.

Pertinently, mobile internet service was restored here (April 29 afternoon) after remaining suspended for two weeks with social media sites remaining blocked.

We hope you liked this report/article. The Milli Gazette is a free and independent readers-supported media organisation. To support it, please contribute generously. Click here or email us at sales@milligazette.com

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Social networking sites suspended in Kashmir - Milli Gazette