Twitter quickly withholds tweets for Turkey’s ‘national security’

ISTANBUL

Turkish officials announced in April that they had found 'common ground' with Twitter, shortly after the social media platform’s service in Turkey was blocked by the government.

Twitter quickly withheld “provocative tweets against Turkey’s national security” during the recent violent protests, Transportation Minister Lütfi Elvan has announced.

“We faced tweets that threatened our national security, unfortunately provoking some of our citizens and even inviting others, like terrorist groups, to armed struggle. We did what was necessary and a considerable portion of those tweets were blocked by Twitter,” Doğan News Agency quoted Elvan as saying during a ceremony at Bahçeşehir University on Oct. 9.

Elvan said public buildings, hospitals, schools and ambulances were torched during the Oct. 7 protests throughout Turkey. “We don’t want a youth that destroys. We want them to produce,” he said.

Turkish officials had announced in April that they found a “common ground” with Twitter, soon after the social media platform’s service in Turkey was blocked by the government.

In June, Twitter had reportedly “suggested” that the owner of the @madigudisi account should delete his critical tweet about Elvan, despite a local court order protecting it under the right to free speech.

“If your phones don’t work after an earthquake, call the ministry,” Elvan had tweeted May 28. In response, @madigudisi replied, “This is not Zaytung [the mock news portal in Turkey]. Goodbye to rationality.”