• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home World News Middle East

YouTube and Spotify accused of ‘censorship’ after blocking left-wing folk group in Turkey

June 3, 2025
in Middle East
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
0
YouTube and Spotify accused of 'censorship' after blocking left-wing folk group in Turkey
2
SHARES
4
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


YouTube and Spotify have been accused of “censorship” after the Turkish government blocked videos and songs by the left-wing folk band Grup Yorum.

According to Turkish freedom of expression organisation IFOD, Turkish authorities blocked access to more than 450 videos by Grup Yorum on YouTube last week in the name of “protecting national security and public order”.

They said the 454 clips, shared since 2006 by dozens of YouTube accounts, had totalled more than 205 million views.

IFOD said in a statement on Friday that at least one of the group’s albums had also been blocked on Spotify and Apple Music. A similar request was put to streaming site Deezer, but they refused to comply.

Legislation passed in 2022 handed the government’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) powers to compel social media companies to comply with requests to take down content and hand over user data or to be subject to reduction of their bandwidth. 

New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch


Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on
Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters

Outlets such as X (formerly Twitter) have blocked scores of accounts in Turkey in recent months at the request of the government, mainly leftists and oppositions figures.

‘Perception of complicity’

Yaman Akdeniz, founder of IFOD, told Middle East Eye that social media platforms had been facing renewed pressure following the outcry over the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in March.

“They all face substantial fines as well as threats of throttling of their services. So, at first sight, it may seem understandable that they all comply,” he said.

‘Their silence regarding the blocking of Grup Yorum’s songs and albums suggests a reluctance to challenge or even acknowledge the censorship’

– Yaman Akdeniz, IFOD

“However, their silence regarding the geographical blocking of Grup Yorum’s songs and albums suggests a reluctance to publicly challenge or even acknowledge the censorship. The lack of transparency and official announcements from these platforms exacerbates the perception of complicity.”

Middle East Eye contacted YouTube’s owner Google and Spotify for comment, but neither had responded at time of publication.

Since their founding in 1985, Grup Yorum’s songs have touched on a wide range of progressive causes, including lauding socialist icons such Deniz Gezmis – a Marxist revolutionary hanged in 1968, criticising the killing of 15-year old Berkin Elvan by police in 2014, gentrification, imperialism, women’s rights, the struggle for Kurdish rights, and covering famous leftist anthems such as Bella Ciao and the Internationale.

In response to the blocking of their songs, Grup Yorum announced on Monday that they were giving away their entire discography for free, posting a link on their social media feed.

Grup Yorum: Turkish folk band vows to continue struggle after pausing death fast

Read More »

On Tuesday, they called for a three-day boycott of the platforms.

“We are not dependent on these monopolized platforms,” they wrote on X.

“They are trying to erase Grup Yorum, who have been singing the people’s folk songs for 40 years, from everywhere. They will not succeed!”

The group have long been accused by the government of association with the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), an armed Marxist-Leninist group responsible for carrying out numerous attacks on government officials and foreign officials in Turkey and abroad.

The band’s line-up changes regularly, with members frequently spending time in and out of prison or fleeing abroad.

In 2020, singer and bassist Ibrahim Gokcek died after an almost year-long “death fast” protesting the ban on the band’s concerts and the imprisonment of a number of band members.

Previous Post

Lorenzo Musetti warned for kicking ball at French Open line judge todayheadline

Next Post

Opposition MPs add call for economic update to throne speech

Related Posts

Trump bans visas for new foreign students at Harvard

Trump bans visas for new foreign students at Harvard

June 5, 2025
5
Who was slain Gaza hostage Judith Weinstein Haggai? - Israel news

Who was slain Gaza hostage Judith Weinstein Haggai? – Israel news

June 5, 2025
3
Next Post
Opposition MPs add call for economic update to throne speech

Opposition MPs add call for economic update to throne speech

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Black-necked stilts near a wind farm in Solano County, California.

Birds vs. Wind Turbines: New Research Aims to Prevent Conflict

June 5, 2025
teen smartphone

Can social media predict teen health risks?

June 5, 2025
Lawmaker makes history as first Black Marin County supervisor

Lawmaker makes history as first Black Marin County supervisor

June 5, 2025
David Jolly, a Trump critic, former GOP congressman, to run for governor as Democrat

David Jolly, a Trump critic, former GOP congressman, to run for governor as Democrat

June 5, 2025

Recent News

Black-necked stilts near a wind farm in Solano County, California.

Birds vs. Wind Turbines: New Research Aims to Prevent Conflict

June 5, 2025
2
teen smartphone

Can social media predict teen health risks?

June 5, 2025
4
Lawmaker makes history as first Black Marin County supervisor

Lawmaker makes history as first Black Marin County supervisor

June 5, 2025
4
David Jolly, a Trump critic, former GOP congressman, to run for governor as Democrat

David Jolly, a Trump critic, former GOP congressman, to run for governor as Democrat

June 5, 2025
7

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Cybersecurity
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Black-necked stilts near a wind farm in Solano County, California.

Birds vs. Wind Turbines: New Research Aims to Prevent Conflict

June 5, 2025
teen smartphone

Can social media predict teen health risks?

June 5, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co