A panel titled "Politics in the Digital Age and Media-Digital Media, Disinformation, and Politics" was held as part of the "Politics in the 21st Century and New Initiatives Forum," which was held to mark the AK Party's 20th anniversary in power. Participating in the panel, Presidency's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun remarked that a public sphere free of disinformation is needed for democratic politics. Altun stated, "Because this area allows citizens to participate in democratic politics with accurate information."
Director of Communications Altun, who moderated the panel, stated that the current era can be described as an era of uncertainty and that numerous tragic events, including conflicts, wars, outbreaks, humanitarian crises, global terrorism, climate change, and the food, energy, and financial crises, have dominated the world in this era.
Director of Communications Altun noted that another issue of this era is the crisis of truth and remarked, "If we describe the era in which we live as the age of global uncertainty, we can also describe it as the age of post-truth. We might also describe it as a time when the truth is in a state of crisis, he said.
From this perspective, Director of Communications Altun emphasised that democratic politics faces two tests: the first is politics in the era of global uncertainty, and the second is politics in the era of "Post-truth."
Director of Communications Altun went on to say the following, emphasising that these two conditions also pose a fundamental challenge:
"To begin with, the codes, conventions, habits, reflexes, and even institutions of the political philosophy of the enlightenment are obsolete as of today. In the era of global uncertainty and post-truth, we are confronted with national, regional, and global developments that call into question the traditional functioning of the political philosophy of enlightenment and the institutionalisation style of the modern era. The second challenge is that we witness the philosophy of modern negotiation and public space becoming increasingly dysfunctional as ghettoization, polarisation, and racism take hold. We should essentially argue that contemporary politics is facing a crisis in the international arena as a result of both the effects of global uncertainty and the post-truth era. In this regard, the primary goal of setting up this forum is to aid in resolving this crisis in the international arena. Contemporary politics is in crisis.
"Since the advent of digitalisation, we are unable to recognise the truth as a political value"
Indicating that digitalisation expands access to information and supports democratic culture in this regard, Director of Communications Altun said, "Since the advent of digitalisation, we find ourselves in a position where we are unable to recognise truth, reality, and consistency as political values. As with the metaphor of the echo chamber in the political and social arena, people are content with hearing their own voices and the voices of those who are similar to them in digital media and cyberspaces as a result of digitalisation. Once more, while fake identities and secret accounts amplify social traumas, they also widen polarisations."
Director of Communications Altun explained that liberals viewed the media as a tool, an institution that governs politics as the fourth power in the classical era of modernity. However, in practical terms, when historical developments are in question, the media sometimes transforms into an apparatus of power and sometimes into an apparatus of power struggle.
In the forum, Director of Communications Altun stated that many critical issues, in particular questions such as, "What changes has digitalisation brought about in the media? Has this aspect of the interaction between media and politics changed? How can this arrangement be changed for democratic politics?" would be discussed.
Director of Communications Altun went on to say, "We need a public space free from disinformation if we want democratic politics because this area allows citizens to participate in democratic politics with accurate information. For democratic politics, truth-based communication is therefore essential. The opposite is anti-democracy, the opposite is hostility toward politics, and the opposite is the arbitration of tutelage. When you look from this perspective, such approaches in the international, regional, and national arenas have unfortunately served to foster instability, not peace. "
"Disinformation issue needs a legal framework"
In his remarks during the panel, Prof. Zakir Avşar, Dean of the Faculty of Communication at Hacı Bayram Veli University, touched on the issue of disinformation.
Stating that disinformation is a universal problem in the fight against racism, Avşar said: “If you don't provide a legal basis, how will you fight against it? The issue of disinformation has reached a tipping point today. Ethical rules are no longer sufficient. We cannot regulate the fight against disinformation solely through ethics. It must have a legal structure. We cannot ensure human rights or the utilisation of a right as a fundamental right unless we provide the legal structure or make these arrangements. One of the obligations of the states to ensure the utilisation of these rights is the establishment of these legal infrastructures.”
In her speech titled "Global Media and Communication, Migration, and Media," SOAS University Faculty Member İdil Osman, PhD, said that extremist politics and a very populist approach have emerged.
Expressing that extremist politics have become mainstream through the media, Osman noted: “The Syrian refugee crisis began in 2015. When it first started, the argument was more sympathetic, more understanding, and more empathetic for a relatively short time; nevertheless, this language flipped quickly. The issue was then critically viewed, asking 'Is this really the case? and a divide between immigrants and refugees was drawn. In some countries, including Germany, Scandinavian countries, and the United Kingdom, the initial narrative evolved and even became antagonistic.
Istanbul University Faculty of Law faculty member Prof. Cüneyt Yüksel also said that in the fight against the employment of digital media for disinformation and terrorist intentions, it is crucial to offer the public accurate and reliable information while being rooted in law and democracy.
Emphasising that the main issue is the balance and distinction established between the obligation of states to fight against disinformation and terrorist content and respect human rights, Yüksel said: The Internet and social media have created a wide range of opportunities. They have increased living standards, transformed people's lives, and provided tremendous economic opportunities. They have led to political, economic, and knowledge changes. Furthermore, digital media has a transformative effect on the implementation of human rights. Although the use of the internet and social media has many positive consequences today, we also see that terrorist groups use these platforms for propaganda and provocation.
The forum continues with panels.
