This seems to be a calculated move by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in response to two things:<p>- Widespread dissent that was not publicly expressed suddenly became public in the gezi park events, and the internet was a huge catalyst in expressing dissent and disseminating information, as well as organizing protests (Long topic, more here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_protests_in_Turkey" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_protests_in_Turkey</a>)<p>- There has recently been a fallout between AKP and their longtime allies, the Gulen Movement (weird religious cult-cum-political-power <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BClen_movement" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BClen_movement</a>). This has resulted in the Gulen people uncovering a ton of dirt on AKP members, including mind-blowing corruption scandals that include millions in cash being kept in shoeboxes in the personal residence of the owner of a national bank and important people being complicit, including the PM Erdogan's sons. AKP's response was to shuffle around 350 police officers to replace them with their own men, and unsurprisingly the police refused to carry out the prosecutor's orders for arrest. The prosecutor was also fired. The cabinet was reshuffled. A "judiciary coup" took place where they tried to change the laws to have the head of the judiciary elect the prosecutors, so they could elect their own prosecutors, so they could find prosecutors which would not indict AKP (<a href="http://www.todayszaman.com/news-336883-erdogan-govt-rolls-back-judicial-reforms-in-violation-of-eu-coe-rules.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.todayszaman.com/news-336883-erdogan-govt-rolls-ba...</a>)<p>Throughout this internal fallout, documentary evidence was often released anonymously on the internet (records of phone conversations, photos of documents, etc). AKP suddenly realized that it's not to their benefit to allow this.<p>(Long topic, more here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_corruption_scandal_in_Turkey" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_corruption_scandal_in_Turk...</a> and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/28/opinion/the-filth-in-erdogans-closet.html?pagewanted=all" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/28/opinion/the-filth-in-erdog...</a> and yet even more here: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/magazine/whose-turkey-is-it.html?hpw&rref=magazine&_r=0" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/magazine/whose-turkey-is-i...</a>)<p>The new legislation was suggested by 27 members of AKP, and no other members from other parties. Surprise, surprise! (Source: <a href="http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/develop/owa/tasari_teklif_sd.onerge_bilgileri?kanunlar_sira_no=145376" rel="nofollow">http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/develop/owa/tasari_teklif_sd.onerge_b...</a>)<p>edit:<p>More info on the new laws:<p>- The Telecommunications Communications Directorate (yes, redundant name, TIB for short) head can immediately order content to be removed.<p>- TIB can ask for any information they want and the hosting providers have to supply it, no due process needed (no DMCA safe harbour-ish clause)<p>- You need permission from the TIB head to begin a questioning process about any TIB employee (i.e. abuse abounds)<p>- Hosting providers must keep IP addresses for 1 year instead of 6 months<p>- IP, DNS and URL blocking will be implemented (previously it was DNS only), but of course no one knows how they're going to acquire the hardware for deep packet inspection.<p>- No hearing required for complaints about websites that allegedly involve a violation of personal rights. A decision is immediately made.<p>- Hosting / Service providers must respond to requests in 24 hours.<p>- The directorate has permission to "fight cyber war", which seems to be a patriot act-ish catchall phrase to do whatever they want.<p>Ridiculous!