A substantial majority of Turkish persons encounter feelings of fear and anxiety when they disseminate messages on social media, maybe as a result of the increasing government monitoring of those who express rebellious views on online platforms.
The research, carried out by Areda study based in Istanbul, encompassed a total of 3,307 participants throughout July 29–31. The findings indicated that 63.2 percent of participants encounter anxiety when articulating their viewpoints on social media.
The company’s surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022 indicated a growing percentage of persons who were unsure about their social media posts in the preceding three years.
The percentage of individuals experiencing anxiety realted to their social media posts decreased from 34.5% in 2021 to 43% in 2022.
When it comes to gender distribution, males tend to have more concern about their social media posts compared to women. Based on the poll conducted this year, 66.9 percent of men indicated experiencing emotions of insecurity about their social media posts, whilst 59.5 percent of women revealed similar sentiments.
Individuals aged 55 and above demonstrate a notable degree of anxiety, with 68.1 percent of them experiencing worry when sharing their ideas on social media. 62.2 percent of persons in the 18-34 age bracket and 60.6 percent of individuals in the 35-54 age bracket adhere to them.
The survey’s results are especially pertinent considering the regular imprisonment or legal action taken against individuals in Turkey for just voicing their ideas on social media sites.
The widespread occurrence of prosecuting individuals in Turkey has led the German Foreign Ministry to issue a travel advisory earlier this month, warning its citizens about the potential dangers of visiting Turkey, including the possibility of facing legal consequences for their social media activities.
The advisory warned German citizens that engaging in activities protected by freedom of expression in Germany, such as publishing on social media, writing comments, or even expressing approbation of content, could lead to legal consequences in Turkey.
A recent evaluation by the US-based organization Freedom House revealed a persistent decline in internet freedom in Turkey over the previous ten years. The nation is once again classified as “not free” in respect of cyber freedoms.
Turkey’s score in the index is 30 out of 100, with a scale that ranges from 0 (indicating the least amount of freedom) to 100 (indicating the highest level of freedom).
In October 2022, the Turkish parliament enacted a new media law, widely known as the “disinformation law,” which is thought to contribute to the erosion of digital liberties in the country. According to this legislation, individuals, including journalists and social media users, can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison if they are convicted of spreading inaccurate information.
Source: Turkish Minute
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