Turkey activates whistleblower mechanism on “disinformation”, detains 4
While Turkey’s ten provinces are going through agony, Turkish Presidency under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has activated a whistleblower mechanism via phone lines to hunt those deemed to spread “disinformation”.
Fahrettin Altun, the head of Presidential Communications Directorate announced the mechanism on Twitter, saying that the “Disinformation Reporting Service” has been made available to the public.
“You can download our application to your phone and report the suspicious/false news produced and spread about the earthquake disaster,” Altun said.
''Dezenformasyon Bildirim Servisi'' halkımızın kullanımına açılmıştır.
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) February 7, 2023
Deprem felaketine ilişkin üretilen ve yayılan şüpheli/yalan olduğunu düşündüğünüz haberleri uygulamamızı telefonunuza indirip bildirebilirsiniz.
IOS:https://t.co/D2s9PDjHvA
Android:https://t.co/JgoKE3Xyot pic.twitter.com/6VQfXyDnQ9
Via this mechanism, it was believed that the governing power is aiming to prevent social media messages that express inadequacies in search and rescue efforts.
Human rights defender and lawyer Cigdem Koc, who reacted to Altun's post, reported herself on Twitter, listing the shortcomings in the earthquake-hit provinces.
“We can't even keep up with sharing incoming calls for help. There are thousands of dead. Aid did not reach many places. People are hungry, thirsty, miserable in the cold. There is no Hatay and Adiyaman anymore. It’s over. I wish it was all a lie. Is it the time for to recruit whistleblowers? I report myself. Pity, pity,” she said.
Gelen yardım çağrılarını paylaşmaya bile yetişemiyoruz. Binlerce ölü var.Bir çok yere yardım ulaşmamış. İnsanlar aç, susuz, soğukta perişan. #Hatay #Adıyaman yok, bitmiş.
— ÇİĞDEM KOÇ (@cigdemkc) February 7, 2023
Keşke yalan olsa hepsi.
İhbarcı devşirmenin zamanı mı? Ben ihbar ettim kendimi.
Yazık ya, yazık! #deprem https://t.co/mqurAuqPZ1
Meanwhile, Turkey’s General Directorate of Security (EGM) has announced that they have detected 90 social media accounts who made “provocative posts” about the earthquake and detained four, T24 reported on Tuesday.
