Russian Disinformation Ecosystem in Turkey

EDAM Reports, 2019

56 Pages Posted: 9 Mar 2020 Last revised: 28 Jun 2023

See all articles by Akin Unver

Akin Unver

Ozyegin University, Department of International Relations

Date Written: March 8, 2019

Abstract

In recent years, Russian digital information operations, including disinformation, fake news, and election meddling, have assumed prominence in international news and scholarly research outlets. A simple Google Trends query shows us that ‘fake news’ as a term enters into the global mainstream lexicon starting in October 2016, peaking in the immediate aftermath of the US Presidential Election in November. Since then, disinformation has been largely synonymous with Russian digital information operations in the West, and a number of empirical research projects have begun focusing on the impact of information warfare on elections and political behavior. This report outlines the extent and scope of Russian influence operations in Turkey through 2015-19 empirically, measuring the impact and diffusion of such operations within the broader Turkish information ecosystem. The empirical cases in the report shed light on the timing, intensity and rationale of Russian information operations in Turkey and yield crucial findings on the broader disinformation mechanics of Russia.

Keywords: Russia, disinformation, Turkey

Suggested Citation

Unver, Hamid Akin, Russian Disinformation Ecosystem in Turkey (March 8, 2019). EDAM Reports, 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3534770

Hamid Akin Unver (Contact Author)

Ozyegin University, Department of International Relations ( email )

Kusbakisi Cd. No: 2
Altunizade, Uskudar
Istanbul, 34662
Turkey

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