Cell phone operators 'to inform state about location of tourists' in Turkey

Duvar English

A new regulation devised by Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism will reportedly result in the state being informed by cell phone operators as to where local tourists are traveling and what hotel they are staying at as of 2020.

The Ministry of Culture is expected to introduce a regulation where local tourists traveling in Turkey, where Turkish cell phone operators will be obligated to inform the state where tourists are going and what city and hotel they choose to stay in, daily Cumhuriyet reported on Nov. 5.

The move is part of the 2020 Presidential program which includes a mechanism that seeks to keep taps on local tourists who are traveling within the country.

Critics have raised concern about thefact that cell phone providers will be providing the state withpersonal information about the whereabouts of local tourists, arguingthat it is in violation of their rights.