Turkey warns tech giants are gaining control over information flows
Duran said algorithms reflect commercial and political interests and urged accountability, fairness and plurality in how digital platforms distribute news.
Turkey's Communications Director Burhanettin Duran warned on Saturday that large technology companies are gaining control over what people see online, threatening media independence, national sovereignty and cultural identity, the state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
He made the remarks on a panel at the TRT World Forum titled "Who Is in Charge in the Algorithmic Age? Companies, Countries, Citizens."
Duran argued that algorithms are increasingly doing the work of traditional editors, deciding which stories reach audiences and which stay hidden.
He said algorithms are not neutral, since human decisions serving commercial and political goals sit behind them.
He warned that a small number of technology firms could shape public opinion by determining the information people encounter.
He added that news organizations are struggling to stay financially independent even as digital platforms profit from their reporting.
Duran stressed that journalism needs financial backing, editorial independence and strong professional ethics to survive, and he said reach alone is not enough to sustain it.
He also voiced concern that younger generations increasingly learn about their countries' history, culture and identity through digital platforms, which algorithms shape.
Digital sovereignty, he said, is a national priority, meaning states must be able to protect their data, preserve their cultural identities and present their own narratives abroad.
Outlining three principles for a fairer digital environment, Duran called for accountability, fairness in how algorithms distribute content and plurality of voices.
He criticized the removal and restriction of reporting from Gaza on major digital platforms.
He cited Anadolu freelance cameraman Muntasar El-Sawaf, who was killed in an Israeli strike, and TRT Arabic cameraman Sami Shahadeh, who was seriously injured and lost his right leg while reporting from Gaza.
Such restrictions could keep documented reporting from reaching international audiences, Duran said, and suppressing factual information could make disinformation more powerful.
He concluded that algorithms should be guided by human and ethical principles rather than allowed to determine the direction of the digital world.
