Turkey stuffed by official web rules

An internet crackdown in Turkey could put the future of the country's websites under threat, internet service providers (ISPs) and users have warned.

The BBC has reported that new measures place Turkish websites under the same legislation as its media in terms of libel, including an offence referred to as 'lying news'.

Essentially it will mean that websites will have to be officially registered and must send copies of their material to the authorities for approval prior to publication.

The measures have been condemned by much of the internet sector, who warn that the whole future of the internet in Turkey could be at stake.

The BBC quoted a furious Savas Unsal, managing director of Superonline, Turkey's largest ISP, who described it as a "dirty law".

"There's not going to be a certain direction, no freedom of speech, and this is going to impact the local content and local hosting services and eventually the whole internet sector," he said. "They might easily put me and my chairman out of business."

Many Turkish websites carry criticism of ministers, including material newspapers would not dare to publish.

Government ministers have denied that the measures will stifle websites and claim that it is not asking for that many restrictions.

But media lawyers quoted by Turkish daily newspaper Cumhuriyet said that ISPs could be liable for prosecution for anything they publish, even in chat rooms.

The concept of 'lying news' is ambiguous. It forbids fake or 'lie' news, but does not define it. ISPs and users could face fines of up to $195,000 for each offence.

The European Union, which Turkey aspires to join, has strongly condemned the legislation and has demanded that it be repealed.

Turkey's president, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, has sent the law to the Constitutional Court as being unconstitutional, but it is to expected remain in force while the court deliberates.

There is a fear that Turkish people may be missing out on the internet revolution, just as the Ottoman Empire missed the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago.