Duran, TRT's 10th "World Without Center: Who Leads When the Rules Are Invalid?" He participated in the TRT World Forum event held at Istanbul Congress Center with the theme:
Speaking at the session titled "Who is in Control in the Algorithmic Age? Companies, States, Citizens" held within the scope of the second day events, Duran said, "Who is in control in the algorithmic age shaped by the digital revolution in information and communication technologies?" He said that the question will be discussed by competent experts at the session.
Stating that the issue we are faced with is essentially a matter of sovereignty and justice, and sometimes an issue directly related to humanity itself, Duran said, "There were 'gatekeepers' in journalism for decades. Editors would decide whether the accuracy of the news was confirmed, whether it served the public interest, and whether it could be published without causing unfair harm. I am not idealizing that 'manual' period here. We all know that newspapers also have owners, commercial interests and political affiliations. But every "Behind the editorial decision was a person whose name and identity was known, who had professional obligations and who could be held accountable for his decisions." he said.
Stating that today, this gatekeeper is increasingly being replaced by algorithms, Duran said:
"There is no face we can hold accountable, no name we can hold responsible for their decisions. A news may be true, it may be meticulously confirmed and it may be of great importance to the public. However, due to an algorithm, it may never reach the people who need to know that news. On the other hand, a misleading claim or a provocative post can cross continents in minutes. This raises a fundamental question. Who decides which news will reach millions of people and which will disappear from the public eye? More importantly, whose interests do these decisions serve? I think we are all "We know the answer. Algorithms are not neutral. There are human preferences behind them that serve commercial, and sometimes political, interests. The danger here is that when a handful of companies control what people see, they begin to shape what they think."
Duran continued as follows:
"What does this danger mean for journalism? A journalist can spend weeks interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents, and verifying a story. A news organization pays editors, translators, and legal experts. But when the news is published on the internet, how many people it reaches depends on an algorithm whose decisions the journalist cannot explain. The platform benefits from the attention this news attracts. Artificial intelligence can summarize the investigative news without citing its source. While readers access the information, the news organization that produced that information struggles to survive financially. Now there is a single source for the news. "So, who will pay for the efforts of the reporter reporting news from the conflict zone? Journalism cannot survive by being visible alone. First of all, the news produced as a result of journalistic activities must be able to reach the people who need that news."
Pointing out that algorithms have transformed journalism, Duran said, "However, their effects extend far beyond this. There is another issue that deeply concerns me in the algorithmic age; the future of our collective memory. Every nation has its own history, culture, language and values. However, today, young generations are increasingly discovering their history and cultural heritage through digital platforms. Imagine a young person researching the history of his country on the internet. While millions of people turn to these systems to understand the world, we need to ask the following question; about the future generations' own past." "Who will decide what to know? Therefore, I believe that the algorithmic age raises extremely important questions in terms of cultural identity, national memory and the preservation of our civilizational heritage." made his assessment.
"FOR Türkiye, THIS ISSUE IS ALSO A DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY ISSUE"
Stating that algorithms shape more than just information, Duran said, "Now let's think about what happens when the content we read and watch is selected in line with commercial interests and predictions about our behavior. Do we still form our own opinions freely? Or are our opinions shaped on our behalf? Some thinkers explain this increasing dependence on powerful technology companies with the concept of techno-feudalism." he said.
Stating that this concept may seem complicated at first glance, Duran continued his words as follows:
"But the reality it describes is quite simple. A handful of companies control the digital spaces where billions of people communicate, access information and express their opinions. They set the rules, change them at their own discretion and make decisions that affect entire societies. However, the people affected by these decisions often do not have enough say and their ability to object to the decisions is quite limited. At this point, we return to our fundamental question; who is in control in the algorithmic age? Technology companies say that the users are in control. Because they decide what to watch, what to read and what to do." Users decide what to share. So, how free can this choice be if algorithms have already decided what will appear on our screens?
Duran, on the other hand, stated that states have the authority to enact laws and make regulations and continued as follows:
"However, technology giants cross borders, control huge amounts of data and dominate resources that exceed those of many countries. Neither companies nor states can answer this question alone. I wholeheartedly believe that we can never leave the future of the digital world in the hands of only a few powerful actors. For Turkey, this issue is also a matter of digital sovereignty. A nation must have the capacity to protect its data, preserve its cultural identity and tell its own story to the world. We support technological progress. We are aware of the extraordinary opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and digital innovations. However, technological progress It must serve people and societies. It must respect their rights, their values, and their freedom to make independent choices. So how can we ensure that technology remains at the service of humanity?
"WE NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT HOW ALGORITHMS WORK"
Duran noted that he believes three basic principles are guiding at this point and said:
"The first principle is accountability. Tech companies cannot wield such enormous influence over public life without being held accountable for their decisions. We need greater transparency about how algorithms work. People should be able to understand why their content is restricted, why certain information receives more attention than others, and how they can challenge decisions they believe are unfair. The second principle is fairness in algorithmic distribution. We cannot accept a digital world where some voices reach millions of people while others are barely heard. Access to information, freedom of expression and fair treatment Its principles should apply equally to everyone, regardless of nationality, language or place of residence.”
Emphasizing that the third principle is pluralism, Duran said, "The digital world should reflect the world's own diversity. No country, culture or company should dominate this field alone. Our esteemed President said, 'The world is bigger than five.' He reminded this truth to the international community many times. I believe that the same principle should guide our view of the digital world. The digital world is also bigger than a handful of technology companies. The digital world belongs to people of different nationalities, cultures and languages. Their voices, experiences and perspectives should also find a place in the global information environment." he said.
"THIS DETERMINATION IS REFLECTED IN THE WORKS OF OUR PUBLIC BROADCAST TRT AND ANADOLU AGENCY"
Presidential Communications Director Duran emphasized that Türkiye is determined to contribute to the construction of a fairer and more inclusive digital order and said:
"This determination is reflected in the work of our public broadcaster TRT and Anadolu Agency. TRT and Anadolu Agency continue to bring the truth to viewers and readers all over the world with their broadcasts in different languages. They work with great devotion to fight disinformation and ensure that people have access to reliable information. Most importantly, they give voice to people who would not otherwise have their voices heard, and convey their stories to the world. Moreover, they sometimes pay a very heavy human price while performing this duty. Freelance cameraman of Anadolu Agency "Muntasir al-Sawwaf lost his life in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. TRT Arabi cameraman Sami Shehade was seriously injured and lost his right leg while covering the news in Gaza."
Stating that these journalists risked their lives to show the world what happened, Duran continued as follows:
"But even if the truth is documented, there is no guarantee that the world will see it. News and images from Gaza on major digital platforms have been removed, restricted, or labeled as sensitive or violent content. Even independent human rights organizations have documented how automated systems restrict legitimate reporting and silence the voices of Palestinians. This leaves us faced with one of the most worrying dimensions of disinformation in the algorithmic age. When we think of disinformation, we often think of the spread of fake news. So what happens when the truth itself is rendered invisible? What happens when journalists risk their lives to gather evidence and algorithms prevent their work from reaching the public? When the truth is made invisible, disinformation becomes even stronger.”
Duran stated that in the algorithmic age, the question of who should have control is as important as the question of who is in control, and said, "My answer is this: Control should remain in the hands of people who can reason, defend the truth and take responsibility for their choices. Instead of surrendering our direction to algorithms, we should give algorithms a humane and ethical direction. I believe this session will be an enlightening step on the path to a more just order." he said.
