The IPI Turkish National Committee will be hosting the English-language webinar “Digital Censorship: Turkey’s New Social Media Law and Its Implications for Free Media” following the passage of Turkey’s controversial new social media regulations in July.

On Monday, August 31, journalists and of the IPI National Committee and members Banu Güven and Emre Kızılkaya will host Member of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA) and Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky, academic and cyber-rights expert Yaman Akdeniz and IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen, who will talk about the most recent discussions around the new social media regulation, which dramatically expands government control over free expression on social media and online platforms.

The webinar is the fourth in a new webinar series launched by IPI’s Turkey National Committee. It will take place on August 31 at 16.00 (CET), with the discussion guided by Güven. All five panelists will evaluate the current state of press freedom online and the importance of the internet and social media in today’s journalism in Turkey.

An initial Turkish-language webinar on the social media law was held to mark Turkey’s Press Day on July 24, which marks the abolition of official censorship in 1908 during the late Ottoman Empire.

The IPI National Committee’s first webinar took place on May 3, World Press Freedom Day, with prominent journalists Kadri Gürsel, Nevşin Mengü and Ruşen Çakır. You can watch the webinar here.

Later, two online panels were held together with PEN International and Turkey-based Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) on June 21 as part of a joint campaign to mark Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent’s 1500th day in prison. See the English and Turkish panels here.

The third and latest webinar on July 24, was broadcasted live. You can watch here.

The webinar will be held in English.

Speakers include:

  • Banu Güven, Anchorwoman, journalist for DW Turkish
  • Sergey Lagodinsky, MEP(Greens/EFA), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee
  • Emre Kızılkaya, Vice-chair of IPI Turkey National Committee; Project editor, Journo.com.tr
  • Yaman Akdeniz, Academic and cyber-rights expert
  • Scott Griffen, IPI Deputy Director

IPI Webinar: Digital Censorship: Turkey’s New Social Media Law and Its Implications for Free Media

  • Monday, August 31, 2020 at 16:00 pm (CET)
  • Platform: Zoom. The webinar will be in English.
  • Pre-registration is required, participation limited. Please register here. For questions and media enquiries, please contact [email protected] 

Funded by the European Union