IS SOCIAL MEDIA A PUBLIC SPHERE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY?: EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS ON TWITTER

Abstract

Based on the communication technologies developing together with globalization, the internet replaces traditional mass media for its free, participatory, easily accessible character that serves as a mean of constructing a social identity. These technologies, which have become as important as basic biological needs in our society, led to the differentiation of social structures and re-questioning of some concepts. For example, concepts such as "public space", "everyday life" "and participatory culture" are being questioned and increased their prominence. Individual realities are perceived as social realities in social media. This leads primarily to questioning the status of social media, which also leads to a discussion whether social media is a public domain or not. From this point of view, this study will examine whether the social media is a public domain or not by basing its analysis on social movements on Twitter, which is one of the most widely used social media platforms, with references to relevant theories, ideas and examples.