“This map is no longer available due to a violation of our Terms of Service and/or policies,” reads the message that pops up in place of a map of Kurdistan that Rudaw reported about on Tuesday.
The Turkish government had requested Google remove the map, objecting to the depiction that outlined the lands inhabited by Kurds that encompass territories within Turkey.
A Turkish lawmaker had questioned how Google could permit a map that does not respect its national borders while Turkey was “fighting terrorist organizations like the PKK and PYD.”
It is not immediately clear if it was Turkey’s objection that sparked Google’s decision.
According to Google’s Transparency Report – its sharing of data of government and corporation influence over online data – Turkey has made 9,183 requests for the removal of 50,275 items since 2009.
Google withholds some content for 18 percent of Turkey's demands.
The majority of Turkey’s complaints are that the content is defamatory.
