Twitter Branded Propaganda Machine by Turkey as Accounts Banned
Twitter Branded Propaganda Machine by Turkey as Accounts Banned
(Bloomberg) --
The Turkish government accused Twitter Inc. of being a “propaganda machine” with political inclinations, after the social network suspended thousands of accounts allegedly aligned with the country’s ruling party.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Fahrettin Altun, the communications director of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the U.S. company was attempting to “redesign Turkish politics.” Twitter on Friday suspended more than 7,300 Turkey-related accounts, saying they comprised a network associated with the youth wing of the ruling AK Party.
Turkey monitors social media closely and has previously halted access to websites including Twitter. The country ranks behind Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Azerbaijan in internet freedom, according to Freedom House, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization focusing on democracy and human rights.
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