David Gorodyansky, CEO and Co-Founder of Anchor Free (http://HotspotShield.com), joins us to discuss how internet censorship is crushing business in Turkey and the rising industry that gets around it... Read the Transcript

David Gorodyansky CEO & Co-founder Anchor Free http://HotspotShield.com

David leads all business operations at AnchorFree, the creator of Hotspot Shield, the world’s first and only free consumer virtual private network (VPN) that keeps users safe online. Previously, David founded Intelligent Buying Inc., a profitable asset management company and reseller of IT enterprise networking equipment. Prior to that, David launched a B2B Web service in the field of Competitive Intelligence, which in turn, gave rise to the spin-off of a large network of IT Service Management portals.

Each month, we highlight a company, country, entity or individual who chooses to ignore evolving trends, feasting instead on a steady diet of their own propaganda. This month, the recipient is Turkey, for ignoring free speech and clamping down on Internet access. Turkey remains engaged in the political and economic business of the surrounding area. However, Turkish leaders remain stuck in their past, not allowing human rights to prosper including giving its own citizens total access to the Internet.  Under pressure from the European Parliament on free speech norms, Turkey reformed Article 301 to only reflect illegality of insults to the Turkish nation and not “Turkishness.”  Dorian Jones wrote, “...the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), a conflict prevention organization, strongly criticized the censorship.” OneIndia News said OSCE estimates that 3,700 Internet sites were blocked for ‘arbitrary and political reasons.’ OneIndia reports, “YouTube was banned in 2008 after users...posted defamatory videos in which they said Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, was an alcoholic and a homosexual.” Dr. Yaman Akdeniz paraphrased the Telecommunications Communication Agency (TIB) defense of banning Google, “...it was Google’s fault that they were using the same IP addresses for YouTube as well as for the Google-related services.”  “The Transportation Minister...claimed that Google owns the government £GBP 13m in tax levy,“ said Akdeniz quoting the Transportation Minister. The President of Turkey, Abdullah Gul wrote, "I am definitely against them being closed down.”  If Turkey relies on the internet to learn about businesses then this ban hurts more than just the people’s right to speak out. It is hurting business for a country that needs all of the help that they can get. If you want to increase your exports and trading you need to be open in your approaches to winning business partners. Turkey cannot be part of cooperative groups while they cling to the past and punish anyone who hurts their feelings. The lessons from this most serious of Self Tending Mushroom alerts are many. First, Turkey is driving business away. Public opinion cannot be contained or suppressed. Ignoring bad news does not make it go away. Public dialog exists to show you reality, not to stroke your corporate ego. Lastly, restricting internet access restricts your business potential. Consider every restriction on employee access as a restriction on the future of your business.