Those turning a TikTok montage into political message: Turkish media urged to act responsibly

The circulation by some Turkish media outlets and social media accounts of a video featuring footage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accompanied by an audio recording of a speech he delivered years ago has raised serious questions. The material, posted by an unofficial account, is being presented as a personal post by the head of state, prompting speculation that it carries a message to Türkiye. Such an approach runs counter to the most basic principles of fact-checking.

First and foremost, one simple fact should be recalled: President Ilham Aliyev does not have an official TikTok account.

According to Report, Oxu.Az has already drawn readers' attention to this issue. Therefore, there is no basis for describing the video posted on the platform as a "post by the President of Azerbaijan".

Nevertheless, publications such as Milli Gazete and Sonsöz presented the video as content from Ilham Aliyev's "official TikTok account". As a result, references to a non-existent official account appeared in news reports. Social media users went even further, questioning whether the video was a message to Türkiye.

Meanwhile, the source, date and context of the remarks featured in the video are well known.

The statements used in the video were taken from President Ilham Aliyev's address to the nation on November 10, 2020. In his speech, the head of state spoke about Azerbaijan's victory in the Patriotic War, Armenia's defeat and the trilateral statement. His warning about the consequences of attempts to test the patience of the Azerbaijani people was made in precisely this context.

The full text of the address is available on the official website of the President of Azerbaijan. Presenting these remarks as a new statement directed at present-day Türkiye distorts their historical context.

No special investigation was needed to verify the information. It would have been enough to establish whether the account was official and locate the original speech.

Today, any user can create a social media page, post footage featuring the President, add an audio recording from a different speech and attach an arbitrary caption. A new date displayed on a video does not turn an old speech into a new statement. A large number of views does not make an edited video an official address. Neither the President's name in an account title nor his photograph on a profile gives the account owner the right to speak on behalf of the head of state.

When a professional media outlet repeats a mistake made by an ordinary user, false information reaches an even wider audience and acquires the appearance of news. This is why editors, journalists and owners of popular social media accounts bear a much greater responsibility.

Oxu.Az considers the approach demonstrated by some Turkish media outlets in this case irresponsible. Circulating unverified material concerning the President of Azerbaijan and then using it as a basis for speculation about interstate relations is unacceptable. Coverage of relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye requires particular accuracy and sound judgment.

Before claiming that the President has sent a message to any country, it is essential to verify that the statement actually comes from the head of state.

Links to the official Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X accounts of the President of Azerbaijan are available on president.az. Reliable sources of information are open and accessible to everyone.

"We urge our Turkish colleagues and social media users with large audiences to treat such material responsibly. We expect the media outlets that circulated inaccurate information to correct their reports and provide readers with a clear explanation.

"Respect for the audience begins with fact-checking. Turning a speech delivered years ago into a pretext for confrontation today is unacceptable in professional journalism," Oxu.Az said in its article.