Erkan Saka

A video: “Major Platforms Need New Domains Soon | The .io Domain Drama”

Key Insights Overview of Domain Types - Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs): These domains, such as .com, .net, and .org, are globally accessible and can be registered by anyone. A common rule is that gTLDs have three or more…

Congrats to Emin Alper at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival I am losing my respect for Wim Wenders fast, but I continue to admire Emin Alper. I remember Emin from our college days as a nice, calm person. Here's what happened at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale 2026): The Context: Wim Wenders' Controversy German filmmaker Wim Wenders, serving as jury president of the 76th Berlinale, sparked controversy during the festival's opening press conference when asked about the war in Gaza and Germany's role.

Congrats to Emin Alper at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival

I am losing my respect for Wim Wenders fast, but I continue to admire Emin Alper. I remember Emin from our college days as a nice, calm person. Here's what happened at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale…

From Obscenity to Money Laundering: The OnlyFans Crackdown in Turkey Recently, Sixteen detained over 'laundering OnlyFans income'. I have asked Perplexity to round up the OnlyFans ordeal in Türkiye: OnlyFans has been formally blocked in Turkey since June 2023 and, since late 2023, authorities have escalated criminal investigations and financial-crime probes targeting creators who earned income from the platform. Access ban and legal basis Access to onlyfans.com was blocked by an İstanbul penal judgeship of peace on 7 June 2023 (decision no.

From Obscenity to Money Laundering: The OnlyFans Crackdown in Turkey

Recently, Sixteen detained over 'laundering OnlyFans income'. I have asked Perplexity to round up the OnlyFans ordeal in Türkiye: OnlyFans has been formally blocked in Turkey since June 2023 and, since late 2023, authorities have…

We always had this problem now the Americans? “The American Passport Is Losing Its Power” A Conda Nest Traveler piece: The American Passport Is Losing Its Power Global travel is booming again, with record passenger numbers and spending, but the U.S. is losing billions in tourism as stricter entry rules and expanded travel bans deter visitors. The administration has extended its travel ban to 39 mostly African countries and increased visa fees and processing hurdles for others, framing these measures in harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric.

We always had this problem now the Americans? “The American Passport Is Losing Its Power”

A Conda Nest Traveler piece: The American Passport Is Losing Its Power Global travel is booming again, with record passenger numbers and spending, but the U.S. is losing billions in tourism as stricter entry…

A book that covers the recent state of hacktivism: “Coding Democracy” I have just finished reading Coding Democracy: How a Growing Hacking Movement Is Disrupting Concentrations of Power, Mass Surveillance, and Authoritarianism. I have recently moved away following hactivist initiatives as the latter also lost steam. I happened to see this book and decided to read it. It does not cover all, but provides a good human portrayal of many major movements.

A book that covers the recent state of hacktivism: “Coding Democracy”

I have just finished reading Coding Democracy: How a Growing Hacking Movement Is Disrupting Concentrations of Power, Mass Surveillance, and Authoritarianism. I have recently moved away following hactivist initiatives as the…

Orhan Pamuk’s literary talents again debated with Netflix’s Museum of Innocence Once again, Turkish social media is abounding with debates about Orhan Pamuk's political positioning and literary talents.  Netflix released an adaptation of Pamuk's novel, Museum of Innocence,  and I asked Perplexity to curate the debates in Turkish media:  Orhan Pamuk and the Netflix Masumiyet Müzesi: A Summary of Discussions The Series and Its Backstory Orhan Pamuk's 2008 novel…

Orhan Pamuk’s literary talents again debated with Netflix’s Museum of Innocence

Once again, Turkish social media is abounding with debates about Orhan Pamuk's political positioning and literary talents.  Netflix released an adaptation of Pamuk's novel, Museum of Innocence,  and I asked Perplexity…

A video: “Why Replacing Developers with AI is Going Horribly Wrong”

AI's Impact on Employment in Tech Predictions indicated that AI could replace up to 80% of software developers by 2025, leading to significant layoffs. As of early 2025, major tech firms like Intel and Amazon reduced their…

A weekend in Greece 6 people, 1 kid, and 1 toddler drove to Greece in two cars. I never did it before; I always flew to Greece, but driving through Greece may be a good trip. We had three days, so this wasn't a big trip. We drove to Thessaloniki and passed through Alexandroupolis. You have to arrange the time to cross the border.

A weekend in Greece

6 people, 1 kid, and 1 toddler drove to Greece in two cars. I never did it before; I always flew to Greece, but driving through Greece may be a good trip. We had three days, so this wasn't a big trip. We drove to Thessaloniki and passed through Alexandroupolis. You have to…

Moral police at work: Behemoth and Slaughter To Prevail concerts in İstanbul canceled The Beşiktaş District Governor’s Office banned the shows on public morals and public order grounds after an Islamist-led smear campaign, framing the bands as “satanic” and “against societal values.” Official reason The Beşiktaş District Governorate issued a decision canceling the Slaughter To Prevail (10 Feb) and Behemoth (11 Feb) concerts at Zorlu PSM, stating that the events provoked “public reaction” and were “incompatible with our societal values.”

Moral police at work: Behemoth and Slaughter To Prevail concerts in İstanbul canceled

The Beşiktaş District Governor’s Office banned the shows on public morals and public order grounds after an Islamist-led smear campaign, framing the bands as “satanic” and “against societal values.” Official…

EU vs. Tiktok. Challenging the “addictive design” I saw the news EU orders TikTok to change addictive design or face fines, and wondered what exactly is meant by addictive design and how this can be challenged. Here is what I found: Addictive design refers to interface and algorithmic features that deliberately or foreseeably keep users engaged in a compulsive, hard‑to‑stop way, often by exploiting cognitive biases and attention vulnerabilities.

EU vs. Tiktok. Challenging the “addictive design”

I saw the news EU orders TikTok to change addictive design or face fines, and wondered what exactly is meant by addictive design and how this can be challenged. Here is what I found: Addictive design refers to interface and algorithmic features…

In Memory of Didem Yalınay It is so sad. We have lost Didem, a colleague, an artist, one of our earliest doctoral students. She was under treatment for a long while, and we got the bad news yesterday. In Memory of Didem Yalınay I am very sad to share that my doctoral student, friend, and colleague, Didem Yalınay, has passed away. She was a rare combination of artist, researcher, and media professional, and her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew her.

In Memory of Didem Yalınay

It is so sad. We have lost Didem, a colleague, an artist, one of our earliest doctoral students. She was under treatment for a long while, and we got the bad news yesterday. In Memory of Didem Yalınay I am very sad to share that my doctoral student, friend, and…

“Applied Artificial Intelligence Literacy Session with Prof. Erkan Saka” I was a lecturer/trainer at Yenibirlider AssociationYenibirlider Association event recently. As part of the 27th Term Development Program, we gathered with Prof. Dr. Erkan Saka, Faculty Member at the Faculty of Communication at Istanbul Bilgi University, for the “Applied Artificial Intelligence Literacy” session on Saturday, January 31. Our participants gained a comprehensive perspective on the integration of artificial intelligence into business processes, its effective use in content production and decision-making mechanisms, and an ethical and responsible approach to artificial intelligence.

“Applied Artificial Intelligence Literacy Session with Prof. Erkan Saka”

I was a lecturer/trainer at Yenibirlider AssociationYenibirlider Association event recently. As part of the 27th Term Development Program, we gathered with Prof. Dr. Erkan Saka, Faculty Member at the Faculty of Communication…

New Fieldwork begins! I am embarking on a new fieldwork project after my last substantive one, which was related to political trolls in Türkiye. I have been excited about this for a while and finally got started. It will be complicated, definitely multi-sited and multi-layered. I will track the development of Turkish LLM development projects in the context of Sovereign AI debates. I will not go into details now, and I am still working on access issues, but this project will make me happily busy for a while!

New Fieldwork begins!

I am embarking on a new fieldwork project after my last substantive one, which was related to political trolls in Türkiye. I have been excited about this for a while and finally got started. It will be complicated, definitely multi-sited and multi-layered. I will track the…

A video: “Why Replacing Developers with AI is Going Horribly Wrong”

Key Insights by Merlin AI AI's Impact on the Developer Workforce In 2023, predictions suggested that AI could replace up to 80% of software developers by 2025, leading to significant layoffs in the tech industry, totaling 152,000…

Thoughts on academic life (7)- “Projecilik”—When Funding Becomes the Product - Erkan's Field Diary TÜBİTAK funding has become a status symbol: how competitive grants distort research, waste time, and reproduce academic hierarchies.

Thoughts on academic life (7)- “Projecilik”—When Funding Becomes the Product erkansaka.net/2026/02/07/t...

“Font” politics. A very short history of “font wars” I have been meaning to mention this: State Department: Calibri font was a DEI hire I asked Perplexity if there were any other cases in the history. A few pop up: It seems that fonts were sometimes drawn into ideological, nationalist, and culture‑war debates.typeroom+3 Historical cases Antiqua–Fraktur dispute (Germany, 19th–20th c.) Long‑running fight over whether “true” German print should use blackletter Fraktur or Latin Antiqua.

“Font” politics. A very short history of “font wars”

I have been meaning to mention this: State Department: Calibri font was a DEI hire I asked Perplexity if there were any other cases in the history. A few pop up: It seems that fonts were sometimes drawn into ideological, nationalist, and…

A Guide to Journal Finder Tools - Erkan's Field Diary A comprehensive list of free or partly free journal finder tools—plus a simple workflow to match your paper to the right journal.

A Guide to Journal Finder Tools erkansaka.net/2026/02/05/f...

Digital tools and platforms to search Epstein files easier

The unsealed Epstein documents are vast and messy; the right tools make the difference between noise and meaningful analysis. Several public and semi-public tools now make the Epstein material much easier to query and cross-check. I have…

Existential Crisis of AI Agents at Moltbook - Erkan's Field Diary Moltbook, the social network where only AI agents can post, has exploded—bringing security flaws, memecoins, existential crises, and a parody AI “religion.”

Existential Crisis of AI Agents at Moltbook erkansaka.net/2026/02/03/m...

Existential Crisis of AI Agents at Moltbook Moltbook is a brand-new social media platform where only AI agents can post and interact, and it has blown up in the last few days while already running into security and governance controversies.hindustantimes Moltbook is a Reddit-style site built exclusively for autonomous AI agents; humans can only watch, not post.ndtv+2 It was launched in January 2026 by OctaneAI CEO Matt Schlicht and is branded as “the front page of the agent internet.”

Existential Crisis of AI Agents at Moltbook

Moltbook is a brand-new social media platform where only AI agents can post and interact, and it has blown up in the last few days while already running into security and governance controversies.hindustantimes Moltbook is a Reddit-style site built…

A (two-year-old) video: “The Tragic Fate Of Dailymotion”

Dailymotion is often remembered as the most serious early challenger to YouTube... Key Insights by Merlin AI THE STATE OF DAILYMOTION - Dailymotion was a prominent video-sharing platform in the mid-2000s, second only to YouTube. - The…

Turkey/Türkiye related mentions in the Epstein Files erkansaka.net/2026/02/02/e...

Turkey/Türkiye related mentions in the Epstein Files

As of February 2, 2026, the publicly released Epstein Files include several references to Turkey, focusing on allegations of international trafficking, diplomatic contacts, and broader geopolitical implications. However, as far as I could see,…

My SosyalKafa interview with Prof. Nabi Avcı, a former minister of Education. Before I moved to the US for my doctoral studies, I had worked as a TA at İstanbul Bilgi University.  I assisted Prof Avcı's introduction to media courses. Nabi Avcı was involved in politics and later served as Turkey's minister of education and then of culture. I had the opportunity to get in touch with him in recent years after a long hiatus, for some reasons you may guess, and I have benefited a lot from his wisdom and knowledge he accumulated throughout his career.

My SosyalKafa interview with Prof. Nabi Avcı, a former minister of Education.

Before I moved to the US for my doctoral studies, I had worked as a TA at İstanbul Bilgi University.  I assisted Prof Avcı's introduction to media courses. Nabi Avcı was involved in politics and later served as Turkey's…

Two new albums from two old-school Thrash Bands! Two elder statesmen of thrash metal, whom I have listened to since I was 13, released new albums. While Megadeth sounds like a dignified goodbye, Kreator feels very much alive. It is always nice to listen to old-school thrash, and I have asked Perplexity below to find and collect major reviews. Megadeth is listenable, but I didn't particularly like it. A Metallica cover is surprising but not successful.

Two new albums from two old-school Thrash Bands!

Two elder statesmen of thrash metal, whom I have listened to since I was 13, released new albums. While Megadeth sounds like a dignified goodbye, Kreator feels very much alive. It is always nice to listen to old-school thrash, and I have asked…

As Renewables Overtake Fossil Fuels in the EU, A Guide to Global Climate Disinformation According to a French media outlet, for the first time, wind and solar power surpassed fossil fuels in the European Union’s electricity production mix in 2025, marking a major milestone in the region's energy transition. According to think tank Ember, these renewables generated 841 terawatt-hours, accounting for 30.1% of EU electricity. This exceeded fossil fuels, which fell to 29% as solar production hit record highs and coal reached a historic low of 9.2%.

As Renewables Overtake Fossil Fuels in the EU, A Guide to Global Climate Disinformation

According to a French media outlet, for the first time, wind and solar power surpassed fossil fuels in the European Union’s electricity production mix in 2025, marking a major milestone in the region's energy…

A video: The Underground Internet of the 1980s

The history of Bulletin Board Systems offers a powerful counterpoint to today’s centralized platform economy, reminding us that online communities once thrived without surveillance capitalism... Key Insights by Merlin AI Origins of Bulletin Board…

As the NATO alliance weakens, “European alternatives for digital products” This website lists European alternatives. European Alternatives is a project by Constantin Graf, which collects and analyzes European alternatives to digital services and products, such as cloud services and SaaS products. We regularly receive advice and suggestions from European Alternatives users, so feel free to reach out! Conditions for a listing All the products and services listed on European Alternatives meet the following criteria:

As the NATO alliance weakens, “European alternatives for digital products”

This website lists European alternatives. European Alternatives is a project by Constantin Graf, which collects and analyzes European alternatives to digital services and products, such as cloud services and SaaS products.…

Neither Machado nor Trump, it is the Nobel Peace Committee Multiple reports confirm that María Corina Machado physically gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump during a White House meeting in January 2026.[bbc]​ However, the Nobel institutions have stressed that only the medal was handed over: the title and status of Nobel Peace Prize laureate legally and symbolically remain with Machado and cannot be transferred to Trump.[

Neither Machado nor Trump, it is the Nobel Peace Committee

Multiple reports confirm that María Corina Machado physically gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump during a White House meeting in January 2026.[bbc]​ However, the Nobel institutions have stressed that only the medal…

Thoughts on academic life (6): Türkiye wants to Reduce Undergraduate Education from 4 to 3 Years - Erkan's Field Diary YÖK’s 3-year bachelor plan: aims, Bologna arguments, and critiques on campus life, academic workload, and graduate unemployment in Turkey.

Thoughts on academic life (6): Türkiye wants to Reduce Undergraduate Education from 4 to 3 Years- erkansaka.net/2026/01/19/y...