In Turkey, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, It Will Be Tweeted

image
Published: 28 Jun, 2013
Updated: 21 Nov, 2022
3 min read

In the absence of mainstream media coverage, protesters in Turkey have overwhelmingly turned to Twitter to report, spread, and organize civil demonstrations across the country.

Responding to the eviction of a civil protest against the demolition of Instanbul's Taksim Gezi Park, political unrest erupted on May 28, 2013. In just one day, the number of tweets including hashtags associated with the protests, like #OccupyGezi and #DirenGeziParki, reached over 2 million. Around 90 percent of all geolocated tweets came from within Turkey, indicating the widespread use of social media to share information within the country.

Empirically, Twitter has been instrumental in advancing political movements in societies where mainstream media is lacking. Recognizing this, Turkish authorities immediately sought to limit the use of Twitter and prosecute those using the social network to orchestrate political unrest.

Twitter, however, made clear their commitment to freedom of speech on Wednesday and refused to share user data with Turkish authorities.

In January 2011, Twitter wrote:

"The open exchange of information can have a positive global impact…almost every country in the world agrees that freedom of expression is a human right."

Over two years later, Twitter's chief executive, Dick Costolo, emphatically reaffirms the platform's respect for free speech in describing the company's "hands-off" role in the political debate in Turkey.

"You can use our platform to say what you believe, and that's what the people of Turkey ... are using the platform for. The platform itself doesn't have any perspective on these things."

The right to free speech does not just endow citizens the right to express their beliefs, but it grants citizens the power to express them without retribution, or fear of punishment. The free flow of political speech should be treated no differently, for it's the very speech the First Amendment was created to protect.

The emphasis placed on freedom of political speech in the United States, however, is not mirrored around the world. This inherent difference will continue to cause tension between American-owned social media companies and national authorities.

In response to Twitter's refusal to cooperate in their efforts to mute political unrest in the country, Transport and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters "We have told all social media that ... if you operate in Turkey you must comply with Turkish law."

IVP Donate

While Turkish authorities have not censored the social media site completely, they already taken measures to limit speech on Twitter. By preventing the opening of "fake" accounts, Turkish authorities hope to hold users accountable and criminalize their actions on the social network.

Furthermore, Turkey officials have arrested dozens of protesters for spreading "false" information. Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag clarifies:

“Slander is a crime under law whether it comes from Twitter, Facebook, news websites, television or from the squares.” 

Uncertainty arises from the lack of legal precedent when dealing with free speech on social media sites, further complicated by the wide array of laws varying from country to country.

While the future of Twitter's involvement in the Turkish protests remains unclear, the resounding role of Twitter as an avenue for political protest has been affirmed once more, as visualized in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXW3WVeMC64

Amidst obstacles set in place by the Turkish authorities and the lack of media coverage, protestors have made it resoundingly clear: The revolution may not be televised, but that doesn't mean it won't be tweeted. 

Latest articles

CA capitol building dome with flags.
Why is CA Senator Mike McGuire Trying to Kill the Legal Cannabis Industry?
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. And legal cannabis businesses, still struggling to compete with unregulated sellers and mounting operating costs, saw a glimmer of hope....
03 Jul, 2025
-
7 min read
I voted buttons
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV....
03 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read