“Am I online?” : an analysis of the online presence of Turkish opposition at home and in exile

Abstract

In pluralist and democratic regimes, one of the most effective means of exercising one's right to freedom of expression is the use of the press. On the other hand, press freedom refers to the rights and liberties that individuals have to access, interpret, publish, and transmit information, as well as news and thoughts. In Turkey, the government and political atmosphere of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) are detrimental to journalistic freedom. At the same time, the monopolization and commercialization of the media have been detrimental to Turkey's mainstream media. In addition to the media being at the center of a web of political and economic interests, developments in information and communication technology and the Internet have increased the likelihood of receiving, interpreting, and transmitting news through alternative and new media. After the 2013 Gezi Park Protests, the movement for new and alternative media outlets increased in Turkey. Due to this development, the structure and practices of journalism have changed.