Netflix responded to the MPs – Turkish Grand National Assembly Digital Media Commission listened to Netflix officials
In the commission convened under the chairmanship of AK Party Hatay Deputy Hüseyin Yayman, Netflix Turkey Public Policy Director Pelin Mavili and Netflix Turkey Senior Communications Manager Özgür Artanç Savaş made a presentation and answered the questions of the members of parliament.
Commission President Yayman stated at the opening of the meeting that digitalization has reached a point that encompasses all areas of life.
Yayman stated that, as the commission, they have reached the end of their work on digital copyright, and said, “We want to prevent labor theft, protect real journalists, and distinguish those who do journalism based on someone else’s labor by taking some content.” he said.
Stating that all MPs receive hundreds of complaint calls every day from all over Turkey about virtual betting and gambling sites, Yayman said, “This issue has now truly become a national security problem. Families are disappearing, being dispersed and public order is being disrupted.” he said.
Yayman stated that there were some events leading to suicide and emphasized that these were not isolated events, but negative developments that took over the society as a cancer cell.
Pointing out that games of chance, betting and ways to earn easy money are very attractive to people, Yayman evaluated that the mentality of earning easy money without working hard has spread to society as a disease.
Yayman wanted families, the state and the Parliament to take initiative on this issue.
“WE NEED TO UPDATE THE STATE SOFTWARE ON THIS ISSUE”
Stating that betting and games of chance are growing day by day within the scope of developing technology and technical possibilities, and that the economic dimension of this rapidly developing market has become “frightening”, Yayman said:
“In order to combat betting and games of chance, it is necessary to establish effective domestic legal mechanisms, to ensure their healthy functioning, to ensure the full functioning of the inspection mechanisms and to cooperate with the relevant public institutions. We need to update the state’s software on this issue. The legal legislation of the analog period, the practices and regulations of the past period.” “Today, we are lagging behind in this field of virtual gambling and betting. In a sense, we need to restructure, so to speak, update the legal, administrative and political contents that we have mentioned.”
Stating that gambling, betting and games of chance should be considered as a global problem and giving examples of legal studies in some countries, Yayman said, “We need to address these issues in the Turkish Grand National Assembly and examine the studies on this issue as a matter above politics. The protection of our children and families is for us.” As I have always stated, the protection of children, families and women, and the prevention of marginalization, cyber fascism, digital bullying, adolescent mobbing, digital addiction and hate crimes are our indispensable issues. It is necessary to take it.” he said.
Yayman stated that on January 30, the Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş will come to the commission and give information about his work on protecting children from digital addiction, regulations regarding gaming sites and the age of entry to social media.
“IN THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY”
Netflix Türkiye Public Policies Director Pelin Mavili, who started the presentation after the speech, said that Netflix is in the ecosystem of the creative industry and that it is not a platform, but a company that offers broadcasting services.
Explaining that the employment potential is high in terms of the sector he is involved in, Mavili stated that 3 percent of the employment is expected to be provided by this ecosystem in 2030 in the creative ecosystem, which grows faster than the remaining stakeholders of the real economy.
Pointing out that their sector is a sector that offers the opportunity to export without importing anything, Mavili said, “We are talking about a sector that is not dependent on imports but has a great capacity to export services.”
Stating that they serve as a global entertainment company operating under the license of RTÜK in Turkey, Mavili shared the information that the contents are subject to editorial controls.
Mavili argued that they are the company that provides the most media and access to Turkish TV series and movies in the world, and said, “The day Turkish TV series and movies start broadcasting on Netflix, all of our original content can find an audience in 190 countries at the same time.” he said.
Stating that they do not want to share the number of members in Turkey in front of the press on the grounds that it is a “trade secret”, Mavili said that they can share this information with the Commission “at a point where there is no press”.
“Turkish content very often finds a place in the global Top 10 lists around the world.” Mavili said:
“This issue is very important because the more our Turkish content finds a place there, the more important it is for Turkish content to be recommended again and to appear before an audience again. For example, in 2024 alone, a Turkish content was in the global Top 10 list in 27 of the 52 weeks during the year. It managed to enter the Top 10 lists in 92 countries. Therefore, a content released on Netflix receives 80 percent of its views from abroad in its first 4 weeks. We’re talking about the content.”
Mavili stated that there is a significant amount of Turkish content that is original and licensed, and said, “There is now a Turkish content audience profile abroad due to watching these.” he said.
Stating that they have an office in Istanbul, Turkey, Mavili said, “We have nearly 60 local productions. Together with the project partners, 13 thousand people have been employed on our sets so far. We have worked with 80 production and distribution partners. Among them, we have produced a new business for the first time. There are 16 creatives.” shared his information.
Netflix Turkey Senior Communications Manager Özgür Artanç Savaş also stated that among the countries where Turkish series are watched are the USA, Brazil, Australia and European countries, in addition to the previously known ones.
THEY ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS OF THE MPS
Later, the MPs asked questions to company officials and criticized them for not sharing some data publicly, calling them “trade secrets”.
In response to Turkey’s question about the “Famagusta” series, a partnership between Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, which completely distorts the Cyprus Operation, Mavili said that the series is not a Netflix content, but is a production that has already been broadcast on the relevant country’s television. Mavili continued as follows:
“We do not have an office in Greece, we do not have friends working in Greece. Our team in Italy makes purchases for the Greek market from time to time, and they have chosen to purchase content that has been successful in its own country and has found its audience in its own country. This issue is also on our agenda. It came to a point where it was more or less on your agenda. We immediately made our checks and started our consultations with RTÜK. Of course, they immediately noticed the sensitivity of the society and they rightfully expressed their complaints to us. As you know, our President of RTÜK has already announced that this content has already found its place on the screen and has been broadcast to us, provided that it is limited to the country where it has already reached its audience. I would also like to share it as an information, this may not be very unheard of, the third season of that content has also been released on their own televisions, that third season. It’s not on Netflix.”
“Does the Netflix platform specifically support LGBT?” Mavili gave the following answer to the question:
“I would like to say something very loudly and clearly: There is no lobby pressure to buy, not to buy, to make or not to make any content, neither in Turkey nor on the global Netflix. Whoever clicks on Netflix and looks at the screen will feel there. We want everyone to be able to see it. We want to be a screen that everyone can reflect on. We want all voices and all colors to be found in all segments of society, in all countries of the world. ‘My story is also told here.’ “We want you to see many different things on our screen, but this is not because of pressure or lobbying, but to be a screen where everyone finds themselves.”
Regarding the labeling of such content, Mavili said, “If it is a content that includes LGBT relations, it is already +18, this is clear. RTÜK is very strict on this issue. If it includes sexuality, it is already labeled as sexuality, but we individuals’ images, preferences, “We cannot label their characteristics, which are protected by the International Declaration of Human Rights, such as their lifestyles and sexual tendencies.” He made a statement.
Making a statement regarding the Palestinian collection that was removed from publication, Mavili said, “The license period for those contents was clear on the day they were purchased. Their licenses have expired. Since the licensing period has expired, the contents have been taken down because we no longer have any rights over the contents.” he said.
The commission meeting continued with a closed session.