AK Trolls

AK Trolls (Turkish: AK Troller, Aktroller) are state-sponsored anonymous Internet political commentators and trolls recruited by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey. In 2015 it was confirmed that AK Trolls are directly funded by the state, with most of the state-sponsored Internet trolls being people aged 20-25. The youth wing of the Justice and Development Party (AK Gençlik) is presumed responsible for heading the web brigade.[1]

Background

AK Trolls came to existence in 2013[2] after the Gezi Park protests where protesters used social media to organize and publicize protests against the government and the authoritarian tendencies of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As a reaction, the AKP recruited 6,000 people to a new social media team, known as the New Turkey Digital Office, to promote state propaganda and orchestrate campaigns against individuals identified as being opponents of AKP.[3] Internet bots are extensively used by government as well to assist paid individuals.[4] AK Trolls mainly target anyone who opposes the policies of incumbent President Erdoğan, which can range from Kurdish leftists to Kemalists.[5]

AK Trolls favored a 'Yes' vote for the constitutional changes sought by Erdoğan.[6]

Methods

AK Trolls use social media networks (i.e. Facebook, Twitter)[7] in an organized way to promote the AKP,[8] discredit opposition, and attack individuals by spreading false information about them on the Internet. MPs from CHP and HDP asked to start an investigation on AK Trolls as the group is extensively employed to silence individuals by character assassination, insulting, and threatening.[9][3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Leo Benedictus. "Invasion of the troll armies: 'Social media where the war goes on' | Media". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  2. ↑ Jonathan Okun (2017-01-31). "Cybersecurity Strategy Advice for the Trump Administration: US-Turkey Relations - The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies". Jsis.washington.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  3. 1 2 "Turkish journalists face abuse and threats online as trolls step up attacks | World news". The Guardian. 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  4. ↑ Mert Taşçılar. "Odatv AKTroller'i açığa çıkaran o raporu yayımlıyor". Odatv.com. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  5. ↑ "Aktroller ne kadar maaş alıyor? – Sözcü Gazetesi". Sozcu.com.tr. 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  6. ↑ ""AK trolls" were detrimental to the "Yes" camp - BARÇIN YİNANÇ". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "Mapping Turkey's Twitter-troll lynch mobs". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  8. ↑ "Erdoğan attends 'Ak troll' wedding, chats with well-known suspect - POLITICS". Hurriyetdailynews.com. 2011-09-13. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  9. ↑ "'AkTroller' hakkında soru önergesi". Birgun.net. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
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