After their actions, terrorist organizations also aim to terrorize social media, directly targeting societal memory and individuals' psychology. Teyit Hattı discussed the strategies employed by the terrorist organization on social media with Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan.
Main Goal: To Create a Sense of Terror
Anadolu Agency's Teyit Hattı (Fact Check Line) discussed the aforementioned question marks and the strategies employed by the terrorist organization on social media with Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan. Tarhan stated that the meaning of the word 'terror' is to strike fear. He said that the main goal of terror is 'the more people in whom this feeling of terror is aroused, the more terror achieves its purpose.'
To the question of why terrorists target places with iconic value for society instead of locations where casualties would be higher, Tarhan replied, “The biggest reason they choose iconic places is to create a bigger impact. It is also a war fought through symbols. It is a war of symbols through armed propaganda.”
Furthermore, Tarhan also stated how great a danger gray propaganda poses to society in such chaotic situations: “Of course, at present, gray propaganda is more effective here; after such a terror incident, discussions and rumors spread among people... In gray propaganda, both the source and the method are unclear. This triggers dormant traumas in people, making them wonder 'what will happen, what will happen every day, will terror incidents recur, will Turkey become like during the 'trench incidents' or like the times before September 12th, will it be divided into liberated zones?'”