Google Files Appeal to Turkish Courts to Lift YouTube Ban

Just a week after Twitter was banned in Turkey, YouTube came under fire by the Turkish government. The site was blocked when a YouTube user uploaded leaked audio from Turkish officials regarding potential military operations. Google filed appeals with Turkish courts, requesting the ban on YouTube be lifted “immediately.”

Though On Friday, April 4, an Ankara court ruled that the ban violated human rights, thus lifting the ban and imposing restrictions on 15 specific videos instead, the courts later reversed the ruling. The ban is to stay in place until the videos in question are removed.

The video that triggered the YouTube ban allegedly included leaked audio recordings of top Turkish officials discussing military operations in Syria.

Google filed three petitions with the Turkish Courts challenging the ban, suggesting that blocking the online video service raises concerns over national security and violates the basic human right to free speech.

Featured image by William John Gauthier
via Wall Street Journal

Mikaela Rakos

By Mikaela Rakos

Mikaela is both a writer and content curator for Dashburst, looking to discover and share the latest news, art, entertainment and more. When not tracking down new content to share with the world, you can find Mikaela spending quality time with her rescue dog.