Opposition party accounts blocked on free speech platform X in Turkey
Musk's Twitter Overhaul: Free Speech Paradox
Elon Musk, proudly proclaiming himself a "free speech absolutist," purchased Twitter (now X) swearing to turn it into a haven of uncensored communication. But the reality is rather paradoxical — while you're free to fling your favorite slurs around, voicing dissent against government oppression will land you in hot water.
Case in point: following the controversial arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Turkey's Istanbul mayor and a prominent opposition figure, protesters took to the streets and the digital world to vent their outrage. Politico reports that activists using social media to share protest info, such as times and locations, have been suspended on X. These university-linked activist accounts are prime targets of the suspensions, with most boasting relatively small followings — typically around the tens of thousands.
Some accounts appear to be censored solely within Turkey, where they hold the most relevance. Omer Faruk Aslan, an activist, created an alternate account to skirt local censorship, claimed his original account was suspended after amassing over six million views on the platform.
Turkey's ruling regime, led by President Tayyip Erdogan, swiftly refuted the crackdown on accounts as inciting hatred. During the protests, the government enforced a multi-day ban on demonstrations. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that authorities identified 326 accounts for termination, including 72 that are claimed to operate from outside Turkey. He added that 54 "suspects" were arrested for their digital activities.
Whilst it's unsure if Musk or X are directly complicit in Turkey's crackdown on activists, there's no denying the platform has contributed to the censorship. In the past, facing pressure from Erdogan's government, Musk and X complied with demands to remove posts and accounts that the government found objectionable. In 2023, as Turkey was approaching a Presidential election, Erdogan threatened to throttle X if the company didn't yield to government requests. Musk, in compromise, reasoned, "The choice is have Twitter throttled in its entirety or limit access to some tweets. Which one do you want?" For any self-proclaimed free-speech crusader, this compromised stance may suggest a chilling abandonment of principles.
X also complied with 86% of Turkey's government requests for content removal in the second half of 2024, according to the company's transparency report. As Erdogan has shown, the math is simple: ask, and you'll likely receive.
- Despite Musk's claims of promoting free speech on Twitter (now X), the platform has been accused of contributing to censorship, especially in Turkey where activist accounts have been suspended during protests.
- Omer Faruk Aslan, a Turkish activist, claimed that his account was suspended after amassing over six million views, with a new account created to bypass local censorship.
- Turkey's ruling regime, led by President Tayyip Erdogan, has condemned the crackdown on accounts as inciting hatred and enforced a multi-day ban on demonstrations.
- In the past, Musk and X have complied with demands from Erdogan's government to remove posts and accounts found objectionable, raising concerns about the platform's commitment to free speech, especially in light of potential threats to throttle X's service.
