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Facebook’s Decision to Silence Its Enemy in Turkey
We have seen numerous articles on Facebook’s censorship of YPG groups in Syria and Iraq. We have also seen how Facebook’s response to censorship requests by governments and the criticisms of the YPG group have been characterized as a company that values business over human rights. So, what is the truth behind Facebook’s decision to silence its enemy in Turkey? Let’s take a look at the email threads from last summer and the recent YPG censorship request to explain what went down.
Facebook’s censorship of YPG group in Turkey
The YPG group is banned in Turkey, and the Turkish government is upset. Facebook executives approved a page for the YPG group in Syria, but the Turkish government is blocking its updates. The censorship is a sign of government repression, and it’s not just Turkey’s government that’s upset. The YPG has been branded a terrorist group by the Turkish state.
The Turkish government also retaliated against journalists who had criticized the war in Syria and mentioned the Kurdish identity. As of March 20, the Journalists Union of Turkey reported 61 imprisoned journalists. In the case of the Facebook user Ahmet Altan, who was arrested in Turkey for posting satirical remarks about the military incursion into Afrin, he was sentenced to pretrial detention. He was later released under judicial supervision.
The YPG group in Turkey has repeatedly criticized Facebook’s censorship of its content. The YPG published graphic images of dead and wounded fighters, but Facebook’s censorship policy is a rebuke of democracy. The YPG group is fighting terrorism in Turkey, but it is not a terrorist group. The Facebook censorship of its pages and content is a direct response to the group’s actions.
Its response to censorship requests from governments
Facebook’s internal emails reveal how the company responded to censorship requests from countries that have a common enemy with its stance on the Middle East conflict. As the Turkish government’s military offensive against Kurdish minority in Syria continues, Facebook executives faced a political dilemma. The Turkish government wanted Facebook to censor posts by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a mostly Kurdish militia group. But blocking those posts would put the YPG out of business for Facebook, and the company risked losing its Turkish users.
Facebook’s response to censorship requests came after Turkey’s government issued a legal order directing it to restrict the content of its Turkish page. But this move could have been disastrous for Facebook’s bottom line. Despite a 34% increase in its Europe revenue per user this year, Facebook was forced to geo-block the page. If it had not responded in this way, the Turkish government would have shut down Facebook and its services.
Its response to YPG’s criticism
When the Turkish government began its offensive against Kurdish minority groups in Syria, Facebook executives faced a political quandary. The Turkish government wanted Facebook to censor posts made by the People’s Protection Units, a primarily Kurdish militia group. The company has long ignored such requests, but faced the risk of losing access to Turkish users if it went along. In response, Facebook silenced YPG. The decision reflects the company’s internal struggles and the public’s frustration over the recent developments.
