TBMM Digital Media Commission Chairman and AK Party Hatay MP Hüseyin Yayman evaluated the commission’s work to DHA. Reminding that the commission was established 3 years ago, Yayman stated that it is the commission that holds the most meetings in the TBMM after the Planning and Budget Commission and the Justice Commission. Yayman stated that digital network providers attended the commission meetings during the 28th Legislative Term, listened to search engine Google officials and discussed the problems experienced in digital media.
“I DO NOT SEE THESE AS A ZONE OF FREEDOM”
Yayman noted that citizens he encountered in Hatay, Ankara, Adana, Mersin and Istanbul complained about TikTok, saying, “I don’t use TikTok. People who see me on the street say, ‘If you close this TikTok, you’ll open the door to heaven.'” There are serious criticisms and complaints about TikTok. Unfortunately, TikTok is playing the devil’s advocate and TikTok posts have become an object of hate in society. People who are old enough to share there and take on very irrational, absurd attitudes to create awareness, and make ridiculous posts; I do not see these as an area of freedom. I see this place as completely alienated from human values, not local and national values, but as a total separation from universal values and a great alienation. It is impossible to accept these. I would like to address TikTok’s representatives in Turkey and global network providers once again; I never accept what TikTok is doing. I never approve of these posts and I definitely expect TikTok, like the whole society, to have a publishing policy that is in line with Turkey’s moral values, ethics, traditions and customs, especially the community rules, just like our nation,” he said.
“I NEVER APPROVE POSTS ABOUT MUSTAFA KEMAL”
Yayman noted that as the AK Party government, they are absolutely against bans and censorship practices, but social media platforms should also act in accordance with their responsibilities. Yayman also reacted to the content about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk that has started to be shared on TikTok in recent days, saying, “We never approve or approve of the posts about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on TikTok. We never approve of the emptying of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as a value and the trolling and trolling of the Mustafa Kemal figure. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is a common value of the Turkish nation, and the fact that trolling has reached this point is actually one of the most important indicators of the crisis the digital world has entered.”
“TIKTOK IS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE”
Yayman emphasized that TikTok should implement a publishing policy that complies with Turkey’s general morality rules, and said, “The TikTok issue is a national security issue for Turkey. If our nation were asked, if a public opinion poll was conducted, 90 percent of the nation would want TikTok to be shut down. Because TikTok has outdone itself and the posts made to get interaction are so ridiculous, so strange, so disconnected from reality that it is impossible to approve them. We, as a commission, do not have a position on shutting down TikTok or blocking access; this is BTK’s position. But if you ask me as the head of the commission, politics is done together with the nation. Our nation wants TikTok to be shut down and TikTok definitely needs to tremble and come to its senses.”
“DIGITAL COPYRIGHT WILL BE PUT ON THE AGENDA WHEN THE PARLIAMENT OPENS”
Emphasizing that the commission will work on the Digital Copyright Law in the new legislative period, Yayman said, “We will hold a meeting in the summer period that will bring together all stakeholders, especially the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Directorate of Communications and civil society organizations working on this issue. Towards the end of August, we will do our homework on digital copyright and prepare our file for the new legislative period, and hopefully put it on the agenda when the Parliament opens.”
