Turkey's TDK Used an American Poet's Photo in Its Nurullah Ataç Memorial Video — and Took Ten Days to Notice

The Turkish Language Association (TDK) mistakenly used a photograph of an American poet instead of the renowned Turkish author in a Nurullah Ataç memorial video published on its social media account. According to Cumhuriyet, the error went unnoticed for a full ten days; the post was removed only at the end of that period.

The blunder by TDK — the official state institution tasked with protecting and standardizing the Turkish language — drew widespread criticism and ridicule on social media. Nurullah Ataç is a towering figure who made significant contributions to Turkish literature and linguistic discourse, and the failure to use the correct image in a memorial post was met with public bewilderment.

When TDK discovered the error, it quietly removed the video without issuing any apology or official statement on the matter. The incident highlights lapses in oversight within the institution's social media management.