Turkey tightens control over US and British citizens
Turkish intelligence has stepped up surveillance of US and British citizens visiting the country. It is said that some citizens of these countries may be acting as spies and contractors in order to destabilize the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish intelligence has stepped up surveillance of US and British citizens visiting the country, Nordic Monitor, a Scandinavian research and monitoring NGO, reported. It is said that some citizens of these countries may be acting as spies and contractors in order to destabilize the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
It is noted that for this, the Turkish intelligence service MİT has developed a special program that uses data analysis algorithms to identify potential spies among journalists, researchers, academics and non-governmental organizations.
The algorithm analyzes a variety of metrics, including certain occupations, frequented locations, partners, keywords used in posts, Internet traffic, behavioral patterns, and more.
Such measures lead to deportations and refusal to renew residence permits. Turkish authorities justify these measures with the need to protect national security, while Western countries express concern that arrests and investigations are being carried out for political reasons.
Many Western NGOs have also come under scrutiny through their projects in Turkey, accused of espionage and destabilization. The measures have drawn criticism and prompted Western countries to warn against travel to Turkey.
