YouTube is the latest victim in Turkey’s ongoing assault on social media. This comes one week after Turkey revoked access to Twitter within its borders.
A Google spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that some users in Turkey is not able to access YouTube and it is not caused by an a technical issue on its side. The company is looking into the situation.
The removal of YouTube happened just hours after a leaked recording was published on YouTube that was reportedly a conversation of Turkey’s foreign minister, spy chief and a top general discussing different plans that could lead Turkey into war with Jihadist militants in Syria.
YouTube’s blockage was feared earlier this week after Google refused to remove videos alleging government corruption. Turkey then took moves to stop backdoor access to Twitter by blocking access to Google DNS.
Since being blocked in the country, Twitter filed petitions for lawsuits in a number of Turkish courts after working with its Turkish attorney over the course of the past few days. The company also enacted partial blocks on Twitter content, which satisfy outstanding legal issues, and expects the government to restore it entirely before things proceed.
Like when Twitter was blocked, enraged Turkish citizens have taken to social media channels offering workarounds to enable YouTube access by using VPN and DNS services.
More as we get it.
Youtube Engellendi. #YoutubeBlockedinTurkey #27March pic.twitter.com/bnvIue4DXi
— Ruhsar (@ruhsaar) March 27, 2014