Nicosia, Cyprus. Izlem Gurcag Altugra, a senior figure in the Turkish Cypriot ruling coalition’s largest party, the UBP, said it is “not hard to guess” who is behind recent bot attacks targeting journalists and news outlets in Cyprus. She called on authorities to identify and document those responsible.
Altugra calls for proof and state action
Altugra told Kibris Postasi TV that not only members of the press but also ordinary people had been insulted by what she described as “troll armies” that had appeared suddenly. She said the key issue was proving and documenting responsibility, adding that if the state has the seriousness and power it must immediately determine who is behind the actions.
News outlets report bot-driven copyright claims
Numerous news outlets, including the Cyprus Mail, reported that their social media accounts were attacked by bots that flooded them with false copyright infringement claims, resulting in content being deleted.
Affected outlets included the social media accounts of newspaper Yeniduzen and the news websites Kibris Postasi, Haber Kibris, Kibris Genc TV, Bugun Kibris, and My Kibris Haber. Political chat show host Mustafa Alkan and social media journalist Serdinc Maypa also had social media posts deleted.
Yeniduzen cites keywords linked to north’s politics and protests
Yeniduzen reported that content containing keywords such as “Juju,” the nickname of Turkish Cypriot “prime minister” Unal Ustel’s longtime close personal associate Fatma Unal, as well as “cyber-attack,” and words related to ongoing strikes and protests in the north, had been targeted.
As a result, many have linked Ustel and Unal to the attacks. Fatma Unal denied any involvement, telling Bugun Kibris that she had not made such an attempt and had not used intermediaries.
Altugra’s criticism of Ustel and stance within the UBP
Altugra remains a member of the UBP but has publicly criticised Ustel. After Ersin Tatar, the candidate endorsed by the party in last year’s Turkish Cypriot leadership election, suffered a defeat, she said she would refuse an offer from Ustel to return to his cabinet.
She also began a boycott of sessions at the Turkish Cypriot legislature until Ustel resigns. Last year she told Yeniduzen that she had severed ties because she considered him unqualified and unlawful and said she would not attend plenary sessions, especially on Mondays.
Reports of possible party switch
Since then, reports have circulated that Altugra may leave the UBP, with widespread reporting that she is considering a move to the centrist anti-corruption party the HP, led by former Turkish Cypriot chief negotiator for the Cyprus problem Kudret Ozersay.
What steps do you think social media platforms should take to address bot-driven copyright claims that lead to content removals?