CPJ’s 2024 Global #ImpunityIndex

CPJ’s 2024 Global #ImpunityIndex spotlights the 13 countries with the worst records for prosecuting the murderers of journalists targeted in connection to their work over the past 10 years. Here is the report Israel In the most dangerous and unprecedented war for journalists CPJ has ever recorded, Israel has killed at least 126 journalists and media workers, … Read more

A book chapter I co-authored: “Automated Journalism in Turkish Media Before the Rise of Generative AI”

Sena and I produced a piece we had worked on before into publishable material. It portrays AI in newsrooms just before the rise of Generative AI. You can read the pre-print version here. Here is the abstract for Azimli, S. O., & Saka, E. (2024). Automated Journalism in Turkish Media Before the Rise of Generative … Read more

Mayor of one of Istanbul’s biggest districts, Esenyurt, is arrested.

Just as we were getting happy with a possible peace process, a major coup added to the new arrests of Kurdish politicians, Mr Özer is a notable personality of Kurdish origin, and he was elected through CHP ranks.   I suspect he is a victim of behind the door struggles within the state circles.  Ahmet Özer, … Read more

A video: [Supposedly] “PayPal Is Dying”

00:03 PayPal is facing declining ratings and financial challenges. 01:42 PayPal transforming into an authoritarian profit-driven platform 03:27 PayPal is facing concerns over support and scammers. 04:56 High fees and unexpected charges by PayPal 06:30 PayPal can hold funds for up to 180 days with vague explanations 08:01 PayPal updated policy on safety and misinformation. … Read more

Changes in Arab and Muslim votes may cost Democrats an election in the US

As Trump leading Harris among Arab Americans, poll suggests I have curated about possible outcomes: Based on the search results provided, the changes in Arab and Muslim votes in the US could potentially affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, particularly in key swing states. Here are the main points to consider: Shifting support: … Read more

Israel’s UNRWA ban… A list of its violation of international treaties

After Israel’s UNRWA ban  I have asked Perplexity to list all the allegations of international treaty and law violations it initiated in recent years: Fourth Geneva Convention: Israel has been accused of violating multiple provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which governs the protection of civilians in times of war and occupation. Specific alleged violations include: … Read more

End of an era? “Foursquare is killing its city guide app to focus on the check-in app Swarm

I sometimes wonder about the decision-making process at Foursquare HQ. Recently, I saw that Foursquare is killing its city guide app to focus on the check-in app Swarm and wondered again. A decade ago, they killed their very successful app to promote their check-in app, Swarm. They now decided to kill the app totally and focus on Swarm—such … Read more

Celebrating the 20th year of Media Anthropology Network

I have been honored to be a member of the EASA Media Anthropology Network from the outset. Our mailing list has hosted tens of e-seminars throughout the last 20 years.  Currently, network members discuss the 20 years, and here is my contribution: On the 20th anniversary of Media Anthropology Network   I was a graduate … Read more

Deporting a third country. European way of solving the refugee crisis

I saw the news that the Netherlands is considering sending some rejected asylum seekers to Uganda. I guess it may all have started with the EU’s agreement with Türkiye, which keeps millions of refugees in the country. Here are some current and recent attempts to send refugees to the third countries: The Netherlands-Uganda Proposal The … Read more

A video: “How giant lasers could get rid of space trash”

Here are the highlights by merlin.app: 00:03 Space debris posing increasing risk to orbits 01:28 Space debris poses a serious threat to our satellites and spacecraft in low Earth orbit. 02:41 Efforts to remove space debris through innovative technology. 03:55 Lasers can be used to manage small space debris effectively. 05:03 Ground-based or space-based lasers … Read more

Our appearance at a Marketing Summit

As our academic and civic initiatives continue, we also have a commercial entity. Sinem and I now set up a consulting agency: Saka & Saka Consulting. One of our first appearances was a workshop on AI and Marketing at this week’s Global Marketing Summit in İstanbul. Key Statistics to Share: 80% of marketers report increased ROI from … Read more

The BRICS summit. Western attempts to isolate Russia failing?

This might be the most popular video from the summit (!) Erdoğan combing his hair!  The most recent BRICS summit was held from October 22-24, 2024 in Kazan, Russia. Here are the key highlights and outcomes: Expansion and Attendance The summit marked the first gathering after BRICS expanded to include new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, … Read more

“Content Creators and Journalists: Redefining News and Credibility in the Digital Age,” Knight Center and UNESCO publish e-book:

Bridging the gap between digital content creators and journalists: Knight Center and UNESCO publish pioneering e-book With 105 pages of interviews, research, first-hand accounts from news content creators like Dylan Page (aka News Daddy) and Kassy Cho (founder of Almost), illustrations and best practices, this unique open-access e-book published by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, in … Read more

Big Tech flirting with nuclear energy

I recently saw Google make a deal to get nuclear energy. The rise of AI complicated energy plans, and Google is not alone! Major technology companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are investing in nuclear energy. These companies are exploring nuclear power as a means to meet the growing energy demands of their data … Read more

Social media restrictions after the terror attack targeting Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ)

Right after the talk of a new peace process, the terror attacks happen. We do not know the details yet!   A few hours ago, a terrorist attack targeted the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) in the Kahramankazan district near Ankara, Turkey. The incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to … Read more