Second Day of Turkic States Forum on Combating Disinformation Continues in Ankara

The Turkic States Forum on Combating Disinformation entered its second day of proceedings in Ankara, Türkiye, bringing together media representatives from across the Turkic world to address common challenges in the information landscape.

Today’s agenda features a key panel discussion titled “Turkic Media in Building a Common Future,” which will showcase perspectives from media professionals representing Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. This collaborative dialogue aims to strengthen media cooperation among Turkic states, which have been working to deepen their political and cultural ties in recent years.

The forum will also include a presentation on “New Generation Journalistic Practices and Fact-Checking Mechanisms in Search of Reliable Information,” addressing the growing concern of misinformation in the digital age. This session is expected to highlight innovative approaches to ensuring journalistic accuracy and reliability amid the proliferation of false information online.

This gathering comes at a critical time when Turkic nations are facing similar challenges in the information sphere, including foreign disinformation campaigns and the rapid spread of false narratives through social media. The Organization of Turkic States, formally established in 2009 as the Turkic Council, has increasingly prioritized media cooperation as a pillar of its regional integration strategy.

Media experts attending the forum have emphasized the importance of developing shared protocols for identifying and combating disinformation that affects the Turkic region. The rise of artificial intelligence tools that can create convincing fake news has added urgency to these discussions.

“Collaborative fact-checking initiatives across borders could serve as a powerful tool against misinformation campaigns targeting our nations,” noted one participant speaking on background. “We’re seeing a recognition that this is a transnational problem requiring transnational solutions.”

The forum also reflects the broader geopolitical significance of the Turkic world, which spans from Istanbul to Central Asia, encompassing nations with shared linguistic and cultural heritage. In recent years, these countries have sought to leverage their common identity through increased cooperation in various sectors, including media and communications.

Regional analysts observe that strengthening media ties serves multiple strategic purposes for these nations, from counteracting external information warfare to promoting shared cultural values and economic interests. The development of a more coordinated media approach could potentially enhance the collective voice of Turkic states on the international stage.

The discussions in Ankara are also examining how Turkic media organizations can adapt to rapidly changing technologies and consumption habits while maintaining journalistic integrity. Digital transformation poses both opportunities and challenges for media outlets throughout the region, many of which are navigating the shift from traditional to online platforms.

The Organization of Turkic States has previously identified media cooperation as one of its priority areas, with officials highlighting the need for joint training programs, content exchange mechanisms, and collaborative projects among member states’ media organizations.

The two-day forum represents a concrete step toward implementing these objectives and establishing more formalized channels for media cooperation across the Turkic world. Participants are expected to produce recommendations for practical measures that can be implemented in the short and medium term.

As the forum concludes, attention will likely turn to how the participating nations will translate discussions into actionable policies and joint initiatives to strengthen media resilience against disinformation while promoting professional journalistic standards across the Turkic states.