Anonymity will protect Turks' social media use

Subject

Control of social media in Turkey.

Significance

Average daily use of social media among users in Turkey is relatively high at 152 minutes. More than half the population (42 million) are active users. Of these, 32% prefer Facebook, 24% Whatsapp, 20% Facebook Messenger, 17% Twitter, 16% Instagram and 15% Google Plus. Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been censoring the internet vigorously since 2008.

Impacts

• The new censorship institution replacing TIB is likely to be even more of a government instrument.
• Advocating civil liberties and freedom of speech will fall to Turks in exile in Europe or the United States.
• They will use similar methods to dissident movements in other repressive polities such as Iran, Russia, Egypt or China.