Between politics and social media: examining domestic information operations through the Twitter controversy in Türkiye

Official URL: https://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b3199886

Although social media platforms are often hailed as spaces for free speech and fruitful discussions, they have also faced criticism for providing open spaces for information operations. In this study, we employ Herman and Chomsky’s propaganda model to examine the neutrality of the social media landscape and use the case of Türkiye to illustrate the intricate concept of neutrality and credibility. On June 12, 2020, Twitter announced the disclosure of 7,340 accounts linked to the ruling AKP party, responsible for nearly 37 million tweets. The government denied these allegations, accusing Twitter of bias and political motivations, which led to a dispute between the Turkish government and Twitter. To gain insights, we conducted in-depth exploratory research on the disclosed accounts. Our findings uncovered compelling evidence of potential malpractices during Twitter’s account removal process, along with indications of a larger network that remains active on the platform. This study sheds light on the complex relationship between social media, political entities, and the challenges involved in ensuring transparency and integrity within social media platforms.