Turkic states convene in Ankara to forge common strategy against disinformation

Senior communications officials from member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) met in Ankara on Thursday for a high-level forum dedicated to developing coordinated strategies against disinformation. The event, organized by Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications, underscored the shared threat that organized false information and fake news pose to national security and social stability across the Turkic world.

A Shared Security Challenge with Distinct National Experiences

Participants brought unique national perspectives to the discussion. Javid Musayev, head of Azerbaijan’s Communication Policy Sector, framed information security as an "integral part of national security," citing the critical lessons learned during the Second Karabakh War. From Kyrgyzstan, ministry official Zarina Kalmuratova stressed the vital importance of media literacy for citizens navigating an environment saturated with both correct and incorrect information on social media platforms.

Defining the Threat and the Path Forward

Fehmi Gürdallı, General Manager of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) news agency TAK, noted that disinformation makes societies "open to provocation," especially in times of crisis. He broadened the definition of the threat, arguing that "news blackouts are also a form of disinformation." The consensus among panelists highlighted a dual-track approach: promoting public media literacy while developing robust state and institutional mechanisms to detect and counter false narratives.

Institutionalizing Cooperation Under the OTS Framework

Parallel to the public forum, Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran held a working meeting with Omer Kocaman, Deputy Secretary General of the OTS. The discussion focused on formalizing and strengthening cooperation. According to Duran’s statement on the NSosyal platform, the talks centered on increasing "institutional solidarity," building common communication strategies, and establishing lasting cooperative mechanisms in media and information security among Turkic nations.