Angered by the lack of coverage of Turkey's violent crisis in the country's mainstream media, Turks are mobilising via Twitter and Facebook, prompting police to arrest users they accuse of spreading subversion.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed Twitter as a 'troublemaker' that 'terrorises society', ranking it along with the 'extremists' he blames for the days of protests against his rule.
But observers say Turks are naturally turning to online social media since even private broadcasters and newspapers are giving proportionally little airtime and column space to the protests.
In response the authorities, long accused of repressing journalists, now appear to be targeting ordinary web users as well.
Officers arrested at least 25 people on Wednesday in the western city of Izmir, accusing them of tweeting 'misinformation' - news that was in fact reported by local television channels.
Police were still searching for at least a dozen others for tweets the police said contained 'misleading and libellous information', Anatolia news agency reported.
'Have they already banned freedom of opinion and I have not heard about it?' tweeted one user, CRustemov, as the news spread. 'What on earth does it mean to get arrested over Twitter!'
Many protesters use Twitter and Facebook on their mobile phones to warn each other where police are firing tear gas or water cannons and to upload pictures of the mass gatherings.
The online platforms have also become a debating chamber among activists venting their views on the government.
As clashes broke out across the country last weekend, some prime-time TV stations aired penguin documentaries and cooking shows instead, drawing widespread ridicule.
The perceived crackdown has alarmed rights groups and highlighted the sensitive role of the popular social media networks in the protests.
