Türkiye decries media imperialism, digital fascism

Türkiye’s Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, has warned of a global justice crisis exacerbated by media imperialism and digital fascism as Western media companies propagate and institutionalise this imbalance.

Speaking at the News Copyright and AI in Media Symposium on Monday, Altun stressed that these companies “exploit original news content and global information sources, distributing them in formats of their choosing to generate significant profits,” and creating unfair competition in the media sector.

“It is precisely for this reason that inter-communal communication is asymmetrical and does not work as a relationship between equals,” he argued.

Altun called for news content to be protected under copyright laws to preserve their originality and suggested implementing a modern Digital Copyright Act to address challenges such as fake news and disinformation, which also undermine democratic values.

Dangers of AI

Altun also drew attention to the increasing role of artificial intelligence in media, emphasising the dangers of privacy breaches, surveillance, deepfakes, and disinformation.

He warned that the greatest risk in the evolving AI-driven media landscape is the prioritisation of sensational or disinformative content over authentic journalism, turning clickbait-driven articles into reference materials.

Noting that AI technologies influence whose voices are amplified and which narratives are prioritised, Altun urged a cautious and human-centric approach. “We strive to use artificial intelligence in service of truth,” he added.

As AI tools continue to develop, the head of communications warned of the growing challenge of distinguishing between human-generated and AI-generated content.

He called for constant vigilance against new questions arising under the copyright domain and urged local solutions to fight the evolving risks of the media landscape.