Slashdot Mirror


Major Internet Censorship Bill Passes In Turkey

First time accepted submitter maratumba writes to explain a bill in Turkey that extends what are already hefty Internet curbs in place under a controversial 2007 law that Earned Turkey equal ranking with China as the world's biggest web censor according to a Google Transparency report published in December. The text notably permits a government agency, the Telecommunications Communications Presidency (TIB), to block Access to websites without court authorization if they are deemed to violate privacy or with content Seen as 'insulting.' Erdogan, Turkey's all-powerful leader since 2003, is openly suspicious of the Internet, branding Twitter a 'menace' for being Utilized in organisation of mass nationwide protests in June in which six people died and thousands were injured."

104 comments

  1. Slashcott by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Please post this to new articles if it hasn't been posted yet.

    On February 5, 2014, Slashdot announced through a javascript popup that they are starting to "move in to" the new Slashdot Beta design.

    Slashdot Beta is a trend-following attempt to give Slashdot a fresh look, an approach that has led to less space for text and an abandonment of the traditional Slashdot look. Much worse than that, Slashdot Beta fundamentally breaks the classic Slashdot discussion and moderation system.

    If you haven't seen Slashdot Beta already, open this in a new tab. After seeing that, click here to return to classic Slashdot.

    We should boycott stories and only discuss the abomination that is Slashdot Beta until Dice abandons the project.
    We should boycott slashdot entirely during the week of Feb 10 to Feb 17 as part of the wider slashcott

    Moderators - only spend mod points on comments that discuss Beta
    Commentors - only discuss Beta http://slashdot.org/recent [slashdot.org] - Vote up the Fuck Beta stories

    Keep this up for a few days and we may finally get the PHBs attention.

    Discussion of Beta: http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=56395415
    Discussion of where to go if Beta goes live: http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&type=submission&id=3321441
    Alternative Slashdot: altslashdot.org

    1. Re:Slashcott by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yep out of mod points again but keep up the good work

      dice please do go fuck yourself

    2. Re:Slashcott by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Looks like FuckBeta.com & FuckBeta.org are available. Is it time to FuckBeta?

    3. Re:Slashcott by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what's wrong with beta? everything. Even the java button in the header that says "we want to hear from you" doesn't work. The so called new forum style is to hard to scan quickly, and near impossible to follow a thread. And how does one load "all comments"?
      Beta sucks. If it goes down, I'm all for a new site that allows open discussion and submission of articles and news for us nerds and geeks.

    4. Re:Slashcott by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 3, Insightful

      OK, you have convinced me to give up Slashdot. I did not check out the beta until today. When I did check it out, I found it unreadable. Unfortunately, those who are trying to convince us to protest beta have made regular slashdot unreadable. I'll come back in a week or so and see if slashdot can be read then.

      --
      The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
    5. Re:Slashcott by rainhill · · Score: 1

      why don't you all major submitters of /. stories, set up a slashdot-like-site owned by your own foundation, and move your stories there?

      readers will come, i will.

  2. Seen as 'insulting' and "menaces" by i+kan+reed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why do they have to ban minor things like this when they could ban slashdot beta instead.

    1. Re:Seen as 'insulting' and "menaces" by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 4

      No they just need to ban the beta then it would be hailed as a great thing.

      --
      Time to offend someone
    2. Re:Seen as 'insulting' and "menaces" by cervesaebraciator · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Or better. They could require the use of Slashdot beta for all internet based discussion. Why ban speech when you can make it so cumbersome to follow that everyone will just give up?

    3. Re:Seen as 'insulting' and "menaces" by fatphil · · Score: 1

      Never underestimate the "menace" that is slashdot beta. And it's an insult to those who've been reading since the 90s. slashdot beta would be banned un Turkey, know that.

      Fuck me, I never believed I'd just be a contributor of noise and nothing more to a story, what have DICE done to me?

      However, I think it's important - continuing to post the quantity I normally would gives us a way of measuring the activity drop during the slashdot boycott on 10th-17th. Remember - delete all your cookies, and disable 3rd party cookies too, before you shutdown on the end of the 9th, so in case you accidentally reload favourite tabs. And disable the RSS feed too, so you're not tempted to give them page views.

      --
      Also FatPhil on SoylentNews, id 863
  3. Government divisions... by msauve · · Score: 2, Funny

    "the Telecommunications Communications Presidency"

    Is that part of the Department of Redundancy Dept.?

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    1. Re:Government divisions... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The department of ruining websites - SLASHBETA

  4. I love slashdot beta! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    All the new features are awesome!

    1. Re:I love slashdot beta! by i+kan+reed · · Score: 1

      +5 funny.

    2. Re:I love slashdot beta! by TiggertheMad · · Score: 0

      +5 funny.

      Please don't feed the trolls....

      --

      HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
    3. Re:I love slashdot beta! by dmomo · · Score: 1

      "Major Internet Site Passed By Turkeys"

    4. Re:I love slashdot beta! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is now official. Netcraft has confirmed: Slashdot is dying.

      One more crippling bombshell hit the already beleaguered Slashdot community when IDC confirmed that Slashdot page views has dropped yet again, now down to less than a fraction of 1 percent of all websites. Coming on the heels of a recent Netcraft survey which plainly states that Slashdot has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. Slashdot is collapsing in complete disarray, as fittingly exemplified by the stupid fucking beta website and the wholesale discard of user feedback.

      You don't need to be the Amazing Kreskin to predict Slashdot's future. The hand writing is on the wall: Slashdot faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for Slashdot because Slashdot is dying. Things are looking very bad for Slashdot. As many of us are already aware, Slashdot continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood.

      Slashdot Beta is the most endangered of them all, having lost 93% of its core users. The sudden and unpleasant departures of long time Slashdot users Jordan Hubbard and Mike Smith only serve to underscore the point more clearly. There can no longer be any doubt: Slashdot is dying.

      All major surveys show that Slashdot has steadily declined in market share. Slashdot is very sick and its long term survival prospects are very dim. If Slashdot is to survive at all it will be among S&M enthusiasts. Slashdot continues to decay. Nothing short of a miracle could save it at this point in time. For all practical purposes, Slashdot is dead.

      That crippling bombshell sent Slashdot fans into a tailspin of mourning and denial. However, bad news poured in like a river of water.

      Fuck beta!

  5. NoBeta! by d34thm0nk3y · · Score: 4, Informative

    Please post this to new articles if it hasn't been posted yet.

    On February 5, 2014, Slashdot announced through a javascript popup that they are starting to "move in to" the new Slashdot Beta design.

    Slashdot Beta is a trend-following attempt to give Slashdot a fresh look, an approach that has led to less space for text and an abandonment of the traditional Slashdot look. Much worse than that, Slashdot Beta fundamentally breaks the classic Slashdot discussion and moderation system.

    If you haven't seen Slashdot Beta already, open this in a new tab. After seeing that, click here to return to classic Slashdot.

    We should boycott stories and only discuss the abomination that is Slashdot Beta until Dice abandons the project.
    We should boycott slashdot entirely during the week of Feb 10 to Feb 17 as part of the wider slashcott


    Moderators - only spend mod points on comments that discuss Beta
    Commentors - only discuss the Beta - Vote up the Fuck Beta stories

    Keep this up for a few days and we may finally get the PHBs attention.

    Discussion of Beta
    Discussion of where to go if Beta goes live
    Alternative Slashdot

    1. Re:NoBeta! by Koen+Lefever · · Score: 3

      No, he is not. He is defending the existence of Slashdot.

      Anyway, just wait until February 10th: then you'll have a whole week of stories without any comments, except perhaps for some cowards like you who have nothing to say but "first post".

      --
      /. refugees on Usenet: news:comp.misc
    2. Re:NoBeta! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, he's not (and neither are you), you whiney cunt. Sure the beta blows, but y`all are just as responsible for the site going down the shithole as the "developers" who built the new travesty.

    3. Re:NoBeta! by richlv · · Score: 0

      mod parent up, it's at offtopic. unthinkable !
      it can not be offtopic, given how much beta sucks :)

      --
      Rich
    4. Re:NoBeta! by richlv · · Score: 1

      and you must be the designer of betafuck (it's like clusterfuck, just, well, beta)

      --
      Rich
    5. Re:NoBeta! by iceaxe · · Score: 1

      Get off my lawn, Beta.

      --
      WALSTIB!
    6. Re:NoBeta! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bugger off. We are defending the whole we shit it.

      I am Beta Spartacus!

    7. Re:NoBeta! by Koen+Lefever · · Score: 1

      OK, I'll take being a whiney cunt with a big smile, just because you wrote that the Beta blows & is a travesty.

      Thanks for joining the fight on our side (even if that is not what you intended to achieve).

      --
      /. refugees on Usenet: news:comp.misc
    8. Re:NoBeta! by fatphil · · Score: 1

      Anagram:

      Slashdot beta =
      Hated, so blast (out of existence, clearly)

      --
      Also FatPhil on SoylentNews, id 863
    9. Re:NoBeta! by PGC · · Score: 1

      So the consumers are responsible for the failure of a product? That's a fresh idea...

      --
      The Dutch will inherit the earth. If not, we'll settle for a bit of ocean. Beta delenda est!
    10. Re:NoBeta! by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 1

      Shazbot! We ran into some trouble getting the comments. Try again... na-nu, na-nu!

      I tried it. The article had that text instead of the comments. Mork and Mindy? Seriously?

  6. Slashdot: Just say No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Please post this to new articles if it hasn't been posted yet.

        On February 5, 2014, Slashdot announced through a javascript popup that they are starting to "move in to" the new Slashdot Beta design.

        Slashdot Beta is a trend-following attempt to give Slashdot a fresh look, an approach that has led to less space for text and an abandonment of the traditional Slashdot look. Much worse than that, Slashdot Beta fundamentally breaks the classic Slashdot discussion and moderation system.

        If you haven't seen Slashdot Beta already, open this [slashdot.org] in a new tab. After seeing that, click here [slashdot.org] to return to classic Slashdot.

        We should boycott stories and only discuss the abomination that is Slashdot Beta until Dice abandons the project.
        We should boycott slashdot entirely during the week of Feb 10 to Feb 17 as part of the wider slashcott [slashdot.org]

        Moderators - only spend mod points on comments that discuss Beta
        Commentors - only discuss the Beta - Vote up the Fuck Beta stories

        Keep this up for a few days and we may finally get the PHBs attention.

  7. Buckfeta by nut · · Score: 4, Insightful

    These days only log in to slashdot to read the fuck beta comments.

    Oh yeah.

    Fuck the beta.

    --
    Never trust a man in a blue trench coat, Never drive a car when you're dead
    1. Re:Buckfeta by bob_super · · Score: 1

      Dice will be surprised to learn that you didn't just get slashdot for TFA.

    2. Re:Buckfeta by PGC · · Score: 1

      That is what Slashdot is all about.

      --
      The Dutch will inherit the earth. If not, we'll settle for a bit of ocean. Beta delenda est!
  8. Boycott by chebucto · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Please post this to new articles if it hasn't been posted yet.

    On February 5, 2014, Slashdot announced through a javascript popup that they are starting to "move in to" the new Slashdot Beta design.

    Slashdot Beta is a trend-following attempt to give Slashdot a fresh look, an approach that has led to less space for text and an abandonment of the traditional Slashdot look. Much worse than that, Slashdot Beta fundamentally breaks the classic Slashdot discussion and moderation system. If you haven't seen Slashdot Beta already, open this in a new tab. After seeing that, click here to return to classic Slashdot.

    We should boycott stories and only discuss the abomination that is Slashdot Beta until Dice abandons the project.

    We should boycott slashdot entirely during the week of Feb 10 to Feb 17 as part of the wider slashcott

    Moderators - only spend mod points on comments that discuss Beta
    Commentors - only discuss Beta
    http://slashdot.org/recent [slashdot.org] - Vote up the Fuck Beta stories

    Keep this up for a few days and we may finally get the PHBs attention. Links of note:

    Discussion of Beta: http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&id=56395415
    Discussion of where to go if Beta goes live: http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&type=submission&id=3321441
    Alternative Slashdot: altslashdot.org
    IRC Discussion: freenode #slashdot-refugees
    IRC Discussion: slashnet.org #slashdot

    Marked-up text of this comment: http://pastebin.com/mc2rhHBh

    --
    The English word fart is one of the oldest words in the English vocabulary.
  9. Fuck Beta! by Striek · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That is all.

    --
    "Government is like fire; a handy servant, but a dangerous master." -- George Washington
  10. Discuss how much the beta sucks, free from censors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Come discuss it with us online at
    http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=slashdot-refugees

  11. I got ya Turkey right here! by Bayoudegradeable · · Score: 1

    I think they meant to brand Slashdot Beta a 'menace'...

    --
    Sig Registration Form 34c_766(a) submitted to Ministry of Signature Management. Approval pending.
  12. FUCK BETA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    DOWN WITH BETA

  13. Self-defense by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Normally I'd consider this a real dick move. But under the circumstances, I think it's perfectly natural for Turkey to want to defend itself against Slashdot Beta. The rest of the internet is just collateral damage.

    --
    The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
    1. Re:Self-defense by kolbe · · Score: 2

      Here's hoping Turkey is more conservative in changing their site layout than slashdot beta is!

  14. A major mistake will be made by Dice by east+coast · · Score: 3, Insightful

    By Dice forcing this "Beta" crap on us they'll be forcing us to find better sites elsewhere. The only people who will be left will be the same ilk that think that NBCnews.com improved their site with the garbage they throw out there today.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  15. Menace to Society by Nightbrood · · Score: 4, Insightful

    BETA is nowhere near the ridiculousness of these governments censoring their citizens but DICE is certainly a menace to their own community. I'm sorry DICE, I meant audience. Who cares if we submit the news, comment on the stories, and moderate the comments while you collect the ad revenue.

    Just say "NO" to beta.

  16. Why is /Beta a piece of shit? by Adult+film+producer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What persons are responsible for this abomination?

  17. Turkey bans Slashdot Beta!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No Beta!!

  18. Damn, they changed it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The original is below. Notice the difference?
    "...a Bill in Turkey that extends what are already hefty Internet curbs in place under a controversial 2007 law that Earned Turkey equal ranking with China as the world's biggest web censor according to a Google Transparency report published in December. The text notably permits a government agency, the Telecommunications Communications Presidency (TIB), to block Access to websites without court authorization if they are deemed to violate privacy or with content Seen as 'insulting.' Erdogan, Turkey's all-powerful leader since 2003, is openly suspicious of the Internet, branding Twitter a 'menace' for being Utilized in organisation of mass nationwide protests in June in which siX people died and thousands were injured."

    1. Re:Damn, they changed it by maratumba · · Score: 1

      Yeah, BETA SUCKS.

  19. BEAT BETA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    TAEBA BETTA BETA JIHADATEBA

  20. Boycott Slashdot 2/7/14 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This beta shit has got to stop!

    Boycott Slashdot 2/7/14

  21. If Dice keeps pushing Beta... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...they're just asking for Anonymous or Lulzsec to come in and have some "fun" in Dice's core business...

  22. Facebookesque by bopal · · Score: 1

    After looking at how dice.com sells slashdot http://slashdotmedia.com/about... it's not hard to guess that the whole redesign is just for revenue purposes. And a good looking site just sells better to media morons.
    I'm doubtful that the boycott will work but it's a good way of giving dice the finger.
    Also there are two options that will work of getting slashdot back. First is to build a new site, which is was OkianWarrior suggests: http://altslashdot.org/
    Second is to set up a kickstarter to buy slashdot back form dice.com: http://slashdot.org/comments.p...

    1. Re:Facebookesque by CoolHnd30 · · Score: 1
      only problem with OkianWarrior/altslashdot is it is sounding that it's going to be a money-maker for him and maybe a few others, when I beleive that most here would rather take the opportunity to build something truly community based...

      ..and fuk the Beta...

    2. Re:Facebookesque by bopal · · Score: 1

      I don't see a problem in this. Let them make money, as long as they deliver a good slashdot replacement. He'll, I'd even pay for premium as for arstechnica. They are also corporate owned and keep up a great community.

    3. Re:Facebookesque by PGC · · Score: 1

      My god... slashdotted. I didn't know sites could still do that!

      --
      The Dutch will inherit the earth. If not, we'll settle for a bit of ocean. Beta delenda est!
  23. Mod parent up by NoImNotNineVolt · · Score: 1

    My kingdom for some mod points!

    (I don't actually have a kingdom, but fuck beta either way)

    Whoever gave the go-ahead on this one needs to be fired. Immediately. No, retroactively.

    Dice pushing this new interface on the community would be like Apple ripping the GUI from their OS and forcing a CLI on Mac users. Total ignorance of the target demographic is an understatement.

    (Not trying to start a flamewar, I know some Mac users are hardcore nerds that like a good CLI, etc., etc.)

    --
    Chuuch. Preach. Tabernacle.
  24. Alternatives to Slashdot are easy to find by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The news that Slashdot reports on are easy to find elsewhere (lenta.ru has more technical news if you speak Russian), it is the discussions that are Slashdot specific. If we can move the discussions elsewhere, the news to discuss are not difficult to find. altslashdot.org sounds like a great idea (just read about it in another discussion here). And yes

    BETA SUCKS

    1. Re:Alternatives to Slashdot are easy to find by PPH · · Score: 1

      Looks like altslashdot.org has been ... Slashdotted.

      Actually, that could be a good sign.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
  25. Turkey told me... by CoolHnd30 · · Score: 1
    ...the Slashdot Beta blows!!!!

    yeah.

    huck the Feta

    shuck the heta

    fuk the Beta

  26. Slashdot Beta Sucks! by Adeptus_Luminati · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've emailed them... they ignore... the more they ignore the quicker their downfall.

    Ignore your userbase, and you shall have none. If I am ignored much longer, I will leave. Just like I left mashable after their AOL'ed it.

    PS. I've been a slashdotter for 7+ years.

    --
    No trees were killed in the making of this post; however, many trillions of electrons were horribly inconvenienced.
    1. Re:Slashdot Beta Sucks! by iceaxe · · Score: 1

      This.

      After 15+ years of near-daily slashdotting, this UI would cause me to not visit.

      --
      WALSTIB!
    2. Re:Slashdot Beta Sucks! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AC since just after Chips and Dips.

      Screw this Slashdot Beta. I'm going somewhere else.

      The more you tighten your grip, DICE, the more ACs will slip through your fingers.

    3. Re:Slashdot Beta Sucks! by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      I haven't been forced, yet.

      Father, I am scared. I wonder, will I dream?

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  27. Diced Turkey by WaffleMonster · · Score: 1

    Way to go Turkey, information wants to be censored. We got yer back. Need filters or narc bots you call us. We'll hook you up with the ultimate post Slashpocalyptic beta software.

  28. CENSOR BETA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FUCK BETA

  29. F**k b**a by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's funny, what can they do? Anyway, Beta sucks.

    EDIT: captcha was "truth"

  30. Hot Comments box? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did anyone elses Hot Comments magically "go away" a few minutes ago? I mean it's filled with Fuck Beta Comments. Oh, and I guess to get with the times, Fuck Beta.

  31. Beta, NO! by Octojay · · Score: 1

    This site is too special to let it dissolve. Join the good fight. Join the boycott.

    --
    NO BETA - Save our community. Boycott Slashdot Feb. 10-17th
  32. This is not about beta... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    BETA SUCKS.

    Also, behead those who call for capital punishment!

  33. DIE BETA, DIE! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Slashdot going down in flames quickly. The PHBs better act quick.

  34. GO FUCK YOURSELF DICE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    FUCK SLASHBETA

  35. Update re: IRC channels by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    IRC discussion of the slashcott is centralizing at
    slashnet.org #slashdot

    In the meantime, there's also a channel to discuss altslashdot, at
    freenode #altslashdot

  36. Beta Blows by supertall · · Score: 1

    Beta Blows Beta Blows

  37. Turkey censors Beta! by The+Rickster · · Score: 1

    Fuck Beta

  38. Re:Buckfeta oR howtofsckthebeta by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://slashdot.org/?nobeta=1

  39. DICE & Timothy in the lair by labnet · · Score: 1

    First time accepted submitter maratumba

    DICE: timothy, this is exactly what we need, fresh meat, web 2.0, it's all the rage
    TIMOTHY: Thank you sir. btw, I hope you don't mind me saying, I love the new beta.
    DICE: Why thank you timothy. I hear the feedback has been voluminous. A loyal liutenant like you deserves a promotion, a big future I say.
    TIMOTHY: 'blush'
    DICE: In fact son, your management material, CEO even.
    TIMOTHY: 'evil grin'
    DICE: In fact, after all the abuse those asshole /. users have heaped on you, you should be CEO.
    TIMOTHY: 'bigger evil grin'
    DICE: **uk them. All those /.ers about to go to a retirement village anyway. I'm suprised if anyof them can read anything under a 16 point font. **uck I should have been putting an text to speech on beta but the &*kers are probabbly deaf too. Cut em off Timy. Beta is the new black. We'll be rich together. Rich I say......

    --
    46137
    1. Re:DICE & Timothy in the lair by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 1

      Oh, I thought that was going a different route... where Dice spins off Slashdot, installs Timothy as CEO, and leaves him as the sole victim of Beta wrath, while Dice.com walks away whistling....

  40. Re:Discuss how much the beta sucks, free from cens by CoolHnd30 · · Score: 1

    #Slashdot on Slashnet irc network...

  41. Fuck Beta - first post as a registered user! by fuckbeta_qa · · Score: 2

    Decided to stop being an anonymous coward after 12+ years so that I can say Fuck Beta!

    1. Re:Fuck Beta - first post as a registered user! by CdBee · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Move to Turkey. It'll be banned there. Rightfully. Fuck beta.

      --
      I have been a user for about 10 years. This ends Feb 2014. The site's been ruined. I'm off. Dice, FU
    2. Re:Fuck Beta - first post as a registered user! by idontgno · · Score: 1

      Nope. The next step... the ultimate sanction in censorship... will the deployment of SlashBeta as the only content platform available to Turks.

      A crime against all humanity. That's Beta.

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    3. Re:Fuck Beta - first post as a registered user! by Bob9113 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Decided to stop being an anonymous coward after 12+ years so that I can say Fuck Beta!

      Wait -- you're saying you're Anonymous Coward, finally unmasked?!? Holy crap do you post a lot.

      Fuck Beta!

  42. EU membership by whoever57 · · Score: 2

    So I guess Turkey has given up on trying to join the EU?

    --
    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    1. Re:EU membership by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not really: England and the U.S. have got Turkey's back.

      Those 2 will continue putting pressure on the EU to let-in Turkey.

      Of course, for the life of me I can't understand why they are so blindly supportive of Turkey; one day in the future (10 years? 20 years hence?) Turkey will turn against them.

    2. Re:EU membership by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Having lived in Turkey, I can say that it has absolutely no place in the EU. In addition, I think the US and UK have considerably less sway with the EU than you might believe; hell, the UK is still on the pound. Who gives a fuck about the little islanders?

      I do agree that Turkey, while once being a stalwart ally, will turn against the US and western democracies fairly soon. They're falling into the theocracy trap as we speak. Secularism was only ever championed by their military, from which the progressive elements are being excised as a write this.

    3. Re:EU membership by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't understand why they are so blindly supportive of Turkey.

      Both the US and the UK are interested in a dysfunctional EU that is busy with itself. The policy "mess up the EU by extension" has been very successful in the last 20 years. In other words: US and UK are not "blindly supportive of Turkey", but see the Turkey as effective means to keep the EU out of their way. This has nothing to do with moral, but is just a question of "realpolitik".

  43. Turkey is heading in a very bad direction by gun26 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I think Erdogan and his so-called "moderate Islamist" party, the AKP, are fast heading for totalitarian rule. I can't imagine the Euros accepting Turkey into their club under these circumstances. Turkey has more journalists in jail than anybody. It is now illegal for medical personnel to give medical attention to people who were injured while demonstrating against the government. And now this - Turkey is joining China, Iran, North Korea and other heavy-handed countries in clamping down on the Internet.

    Meanwhile, another group of Islamists loyal to an expatriate named Fetullah Gulen who is resident in the US and is widely believed to be a CIA asset, heretofore loyal to Erdogan and the AKP, has apparently turned on them, possibly at the behest of Gulen's US hosts. These two groups of Islamists, both equally reprehensible, are now fighting it out to see in which wrong direction Turkey will head.

    And the lingering rump of secularists on the political left are left to watch the Islamist infighting. They are increasingly irrelevant.

    1. Re:Turkey is heading in a very bad direction by gtall · · Score: 1

      "widely believed to be a CIA asset," by whom?

    2. Re:Turkey is heading in a very bad direction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And yet, Britain is one of Turkey's most staunch allies. Go figure?

      The BBC -- ever the mouthpiece of the British Foreign Office -- always reports on Turkey in a favorable manner. (Or at least, less harshly than they otherwise could.)

  44. Erdogan? All powerful? by maroberts · · Score: 2

    The last I heard was that he was Prime Minister of a party fairly elected in elections which were probably fairer than those of the US. Also his policies have not been without opposition as the riots last year have shown.

    --

    Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
    Karma: Chameleon

    1. Re:Erdogan? All powerful? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That's also what we hear of Robert Mugabe. And what we used to hear of Ahmadinejad. (Former leader of Iran.)

      (And get ready for Godwin !!!) Hitler was also fairly elected in elections !

      Doesn't mean they're not tyrants who oppress opposition.

    2. Re:Erdogan? All powerful? by maroberts · · Score: 1

      As far as I'm aware the difference is that elections in Turkey are reasonably free and fair. In Iran you have to be an approved person to stand for election, and with Mugabe election fixing and intimidation appears to have been rife.

      --

      Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
      Karma: Chameleon

  45. Please Block Camfrog by Khyber · · Score: 1

    That way we don't have you sick people harassing our women, going 'Opyn tyts plz' and 'Show vagyna bby'

    Fucking annoying Turks. Most servers have a blocklist that bans most Turkish IPs, but a few good ones don't, and they're ripe for picking.

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  46. Seems Legit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The whole Arab spring was a CIA/Mossad operation, conducted through social media. Turkey doesn't want to get toppled... of course, the USA kisses Turkey's ass, in exchange for military alliance. That's why the USA hasn't done a thing about the Turkish military occupation of Cyprus. So that rules the USA as the reason to do this. Threat from Israeli covert ops is a genuinely valid reason. Sketchier reasons are suppressing the Kurds, hiding the Armenian genocides and questioning the government and/or Islam.

  47. instead of censoring by citizenr · · Score: 1, Funny

    they should redirect people to slashdot BETA

    --
    Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
  48. Maybe that's what's messed up gplus.to by daboochmeister · · Score: 1

    All my gplus.to-shortened Google+ URLs are coming up 404 - and someone had identified gplus.to as hosted by an ISP in Turkey. Hmm ... mighty dangerous to freedom, that shortened URL to the g+ gymnastics community I moderate ...

    --
    "Ahh! I see you're in that indeterminate Schrodinger state where - oh, uh ... never mind." Dave Bucci
  49. The beta sucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So cumbersome .. too much white space ..

    Yep, fuck the Beta.

  50. Poor Widdle Despot by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

    FTFS:

    Turkey's all-powerful leader since 2003, is openly suspicious of the Internet

    Of course he is. The biggest buttfuck for any despot is open communication among his or her people. Great Spirit forbid your subjects confer among themselves without government snooping, and come to the conclusion that you are bad for their general well being and liberty. They may come together and fire your sorry ass (out of a cannon, if need be).

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  51. All my titles are truncated! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And I'm one of those, start your first sentence in the title people. I sound even more incoherent than usual.

  52. More whining and crying about Mohammed insults. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What dreary tiresome culture and religion.

  53. offtopic by OrugTor · · Score: 1

    I am so sick of you fucktards destroying slashdot with your absurd witchhunt. Every fucking comment section has been vandalized by Betatards. Do you really think Dice gives a rat's arse about a bunch of hysterical whiners screaming as loud as thay can in every comment section? Do you really think that if you spew enough mindless vitriol then Dice will meekly give up and cave in? I hope they shove Beta up your fat arses so you'll abandon the site and we get our comment sections back.

  54. Geez... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And some people wonder why the EU doesn't welcome them with open arms...