DO NOT MAKE USE OF
child-protection concerns
for censorship and surveillance activities!

We are NGOs that oppose the sexual exploitation of children and we believe in the importance and necessity of struggle against child pornography. We also believe that children's rights are part of general human rights that require special attention.

Recently, it was reported in press that the Turkish Ministry of Interior started negotiations with a Swedish firm named NetClean to purchase filtering software. It is reported that the purchase, which has a price tag of 40 million Euros, aims to “remove” malicious content and child pornography from Twitter.

We are well aware that the struggle against child pornography, supported by Turkey in accordance with the international conventions and protocols, is an important and prioritised area. However, we believe that the method followed by the Turkish government is ineffective. Further, given the past approach of the Turkish government to social media and particularly Twitter, the purchase of equipment and services from NetClean arises suspicion and concern.

We demand the huge sum of 40 million Euros be spent for more effective methods, in a transparent way and in accordance with the principles of universal human rights.

NETCLEAN IS NOT THE SOLUTION

The unilateral decision of NetClean purchase disregards the priority areas about child policy such as early marriages, incest, and abuses at homes, institutions, and public sphere. There is no evidence that internet blocking effectively prevents either deliberate or accidental access to child abuse material. Blocking Internet for such purposes is not a solution for sexual abuse crimes.

WHAT TO DO THEN?

As NGOs working in the fields of children's rights, human rights and informatics; we demand

• The cancellation of the purchase of the software,
• In the absence of any evidence that blocking stops either accidental or deliberate access to, we urge the Turkish Government to focus on developing awareness programs that aim to mitigate “consumer demand” for child pornography as identified in international documents instead of ineffective and untransparent Internet restrictions,
• Development of legal measures for the prevention of child pornography,
• The public spending in this area to be done in a transparent way and with the participation of the interested parties,
• That priority be given to the research, education, and awareness efforts against child abuse as mentioned in the “2013-2017 Turkey Children's Rights Strategy Document,”
• And executing the child protection arrangements without infringing the citizens' rights for accessing information and freedom of expression.
• We Want the Turkish government to work within the frameworks of international cooperation to take down CSA sites and prosecute those responsible.

SUPPORT and SIGN