After quakes, Turkey expands ‘disinformation’ law
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) legislator Burak Erbay smashes a smartphone with a hammer while addressing parliament, saying the clampdown on social media would make the phones obsolete, in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 13, 2022. Turkey’s parliament passed a contentious bill late Thursday that amends press and social media laws with the stated aim of countering fake news and disinformation. Critics fear that as elections loom, the measure will be used to further crack down on social media and independent reporting.
The Turkish government has begun investigating journalists, media commentators and social media users accused of spreading misinformation about earthquake recovery efforts. If convicted, they could face up to three years in prison. And, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s speeches were banned by Pakistan’s media regulator on Monday. The regulator said Khan was “spreading hate speech” in his recent rhetoric against the country’s institutions. Also, almost three years after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, mask usage in Mexico is still relatively common. But usage varies widely from country to country, where culture and politics determine how widespread the practice is at this point. Plus, Swiss authorities say Toblerone is not “Swiss” enough.