The launch programme for the “Social Media Guide for Civil Administration Authorities” and the panel on “Public Communication in the Digital Age” were held by the Directorate of Communications.
The programme opened with remarks by Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi, and the Presidency's Head of Communications, Burhanettin Duran. The use of digital platforms in civil administration, cybersecurity measures, crisis management and strategies for combating disinformation were addressed through a comprehensive approach encompassing academic, technical and media perspectives.
The panel discussed the importance of public communication in the digital age and the key considerations that provincial administrators should take into account when using social media. The programme also featured the launch of the Social Media Guide for Civil Administration Authorities, prepared jointly by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications and the Ministry of Interior, with the aim of establishing institutional standards for digital communication processes in public administration.
The single-session panel, moderated by Aslan Değirmenci, Digital Media Coordinator at the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, featured Zerrin Güngör, Chair of the Council of Ethics for Public Service and Honorary President of the Council of State; Prof. Dr. Zakir Avşar, faculty member at the Faculty of Communication of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University; Prof. Dr. Hediyetullah Aydeniz, faculty member at the Faculty of Communication of Marmara University; and Berkan Karakurt, Press Adviser at the Directorate of Cyber Security, as speakers.
Zerrin Güngör, Chair of the Council of Ethics for Public Service and Honorary President of the Council of State, noted that the opportunities offered by the digital world also bring responsibilities and that effective digital communication would strengthen trust in public administration. Güngör indicated that even a single social media post made without due regard for ethical principles could have consequences that may be difficult to remedy for many years.
Zakir Avşar, a faculty member at the Faculty of Communication of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, stated that social media posts by public officers should not raise doubts about the impartiality of public service, particularly in view of the duty of impartiality inherent in the nature of their office.
Hediyetullah Aydeniz, a faculty member at the Faculty of Communication of Marmara University, stated that a child-friendly approach to public communication should be adopted, with the “best interests of the child” and the child’s “well-being” at its core.
Berkan Karakurt, Press Advisor at the Directorate of Cyber Security, emphasised that in the digital environment, the source of information is often overshadowed, and perception takes precedence over reality. Karakurt underlined that digital trust goes far beyond conventional reputation management and is directly a matter of public order and security.
