This story will self-destruct in four hours: Turkish daily starts campaign against Internet bill

ISTANBUL

With the campaign, Radikal aims to draw attention to the new bill, which will give the head of the Directorate of Telecommunication (TİB) the authority to block access to any web pages that he decides have breached the right to private life - within four hours and without a court order.

Daily Radikal has launched an online campaign inspired by the cult film Mission Impossible to protest against the controversial Internet bill, which was passed by the Parliament last week and approved by President Abdullah Gül on Feb. 18. 

As part of the campaign, most of the main stories on the website are published with a four-hour countdown and “disappear” from the website after that time is up.

Radikal aims to draw attention to the new bill, which will give the head of the Directorate of Telecommunication (TİB) the authority to block access to any web pages that he decides have breached the right to private life - within four hours and without a court order.

Readers who click on Radikal’s stories after the four-hour limit are met with a message explaining that the law allows the banning of any website, including news articles and blog posts. 

“The government says the problematic parts of the law will be addressed with amendments to two articles. But those changes will not remove the problem. The head of the TİB will still be able to block access to Internet pages on the grounds of violation of the right to private life. Any news, blog post, piece of information or free thought will be erased within four hours if found inappropriate,” the message reads. 

The government will submit to Parliament two amendments to the law, upon the request of President Gül. The new regulations have caused a huge outcry both inside and outside Turkey, raising fears over increased government surveillance and control of the Internet.