Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran warns of AI-related risks, disinformation and digital platform dominance, stressing the need for a human-centred and fair communications order.

Turkish Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran has called for a fairer and more reliable digital media environment, warning that artificial intelligence (AI), disinformation and the growing influence of major technology companies pose serious challenges to the global communications landscape.

Speaking at the 12th TRT Future Communicators Competition Award Ceremony at the Ministry of National Education’s Council Hall, Duran said technological progress must serve humanity and contribute to building a more just society rather than undermine privacy, freedom of information and the public’s ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.

“What is essential is humanity, not technology,” Duran said, arguing that technology should be valued insofar as it serves people, supports justice and drives meaningful progress.

He said Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications would continue working to strengthen digital literacy, media literacy and public awareness of disinformation, while cooperating with academic institutions to help guide future generations of communicators.

AI brings opportunities and risks

Duran noted that this year’s competition campaign focused on generative AI, which he said offered significant opportunities for the communications and media sectors but also raised serious concerns.

He warned that risks included violations of personal data protection and privacy, information pollution, algorithmic censorship, disinformation and fabricated content.

Established media practices, working methods and society’s relationship with information have already undergone profound changes, he said, adding that the challenges posed by AI must not be overlooked.

Duran also said Türkiye was working to make its “Century of Türkiye” vision a “Century of Communications” by building a fair and effective communications ecosystem.

He said the Directorate of Communications, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and Anadolu Agency were pursuing initiatives in line with that objective.

Duran warns against digital platform dominance

Highlighting the transformation brought about by digital technologies, Duran said the traditional one-way model of communication had given way to an interactive environment in which people both consume and produce content.

However, he warned that the widespread ability to create and share content had raised concerns about information reliability.

As information spreads more rapidly, disinformation can circulate just as quickly, he said, potentially creating uncertainty about what to believe and undermining society’s shared understanding of reality.

Duran identified the growing influence of major technology companies over information flows as another factor contributing to what he described as a crisis of truth.

He said search engines and social media platforms use algorithms that significantly influence which information users see, arguing that digital platforms cannot be regarded as neutral spaces.

Citing Israel’s ongoing genocide in the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, he said the handling and visibility of information about the conflict illustrated the influence digital platforms can exert over public understanding.

Duran warned that such platforms risk becoming “digital dictatorships” by controlling information flows, determining which content receives visibility and shaping the information available to users.

Call for a more inclusive global media order

Duran said the growing influence of digital platforms required renewed scrutiny of the historical relationship between media, colonialism and imperialist approaches to communication.

He warned that unequal power relations, cultural dominance and one-sided representations could persist in the emerging digital environment if left unchallenged.

He called for the decolonisation of communications and media, arguing that a fairer system should allow different societies and communities to tell their own stories in their own voices.

The goal, he said, should be to move away from a media order dominated by a single centre or perspective and establish a more balanced system in which diverse voices can be heard.

Türkiye's AI action plan aims to strengthen digital security

Duran identified making the digital sphere safer as a key responsibility and recalled that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had announced Türkiye’s Artificial Intelligence Action Plan on June 13.

According to Duran, the plan aims to promote AI literacy, develop a skilled AI workforce, establish a data ecosystem and create an appropriate legal framework.

He added that the Directorate of Communications had supported efforts to improve the country’s digital well-being through publications, panels, training programmes and other activities, including initiatives led by communications faculties.

Awards presented to young communicators

Duran also emphasised the importance of supporting young people, saying their energy, enthusiasm, original perspectives and willingness to learn could bring fresh ideas to the media sector.

Held under the motto “To Value Young People Is to Value the Future,” the competition featured 15 categories, alongside a special category dedicated to July 15, the anniversary of the 2016 coup attempt.

Duran said keeping alive the memory of the coup attempt and the public’s resistance in defence of democracy remained an important priority, praising those involved in Asırlık Gece (A Century-Long Night), a TRT series that has attracted considerable public interest.

He also offered condolences to the family and loved ones of TRT Haber correspondent Recep Levent Öztürk, who died last week, and wished them strength during their bereavement.

The ceremony concluded with awards being presented to the competition’s successful participants. In a post on his NSosyal account, Duran congratulated the young communicators and thanked TRT management and the jury members. (ILKHA)