The Maarif Platform, Turkish Writers' Union (TYB) Istanbul Branch, Tekden Film, and the International Cinema Association jointly published a comprehensive report titled 'Virtual Siege and Media Crisis: Digital Threats, Screen Salvation and Solutions'.
The report's content was shared with the public at a launch meeting held at the TYB Istanbul Branch's center in Kızlarağa Medresesi. Prepared by a broad advisory board of academics, directors, artists, and media experts, the report examines the effects of digital media on the family institution, natural lifestyles, production culture, and children's play/violence patterns through an interdisciplinary approach.
Mind-building is today's core issue
Speaking at the meeting, Maarif Platform President Osman Çakmak emphasized that the report is not limited to discussions of digital addiction or media violence. Çakmak noted that the study brings together different disciplines such as education, family, religion, art, media, and law under one roof, and said, 'The issue is not so much about turning the screen on and off, but about the intention and content production behind the screen.'
TYB Istanbul Branch President Mahmut Bıyıklı, on the other hand, pointed out that everyone is under siege in the digital age. 'The whole world is within this siege. The issue of mind-building is the fundamental issue of our time,' said Bıyıklı, adding that children's mental worlds are increasingly shaped by algorithms. Arguing that the solution lies not in bans but in producing stronger and indigenous stories, Bıyıklı noted:
We have transformed from a nation that both built and produced civilization into a society that is now searching for ideas, paths, and direction. This report contains important findings regarding the roadmap for a renewed orientation towards a common national and indigenous culture and Islamic civilization.
At the meeting, Istanbul Strategic Thinking Education Health and Research Foundation (İSDAV) President Mustafa Şatıroğlu and International Cinema Association President Nazif Tunç also delivered speeches.
Key findings of the report
The report states that the prominence of individual freedom and personal happiness themes in media content pushes concepts of family, solidarity, and shared responsibility into the background. It emphasizes that this trend should be evaluated alongside the increase in divorce rates, the decline in fertility rates, and the rise in marriage age.
The report points out that the transformation from rural to urban and from production to consumption accelerates the individual's alienation from their land and labor. It also finds that violence normalized in screen content is reflected in children's play, and traditional games are beginning to be replaced by violent imitative behaviors.
