DİJİTAL DÜNYADA GENÇLERİN POLİTİK ETKİNLİKLERİNE YÖNELİK NİTEL BİR ÇALIŞMA: DEMOKRASİ, ÖZGÜRLÜK VE SINIRLARI

Abstract

Today, digital social platforms, as a tool for political expression or activities, are an important part of everyday life for younger generations. However, at times, especially during times of crisis nation states may perceive these digital platforms as a threat. Thus, over the last twenty years, states are increasingly willing to restrict access to content on the internet or block access to digital social at varying degrees. In this study, young people‟s thoughts or attitudes about the state policies such as restricting or blocking access to digital social platforms permanently or temporarily has been examined in the context of democracy and freedom. In the context of the qualitative method, in-depth interviewing technique was used as data collection tool. The sample of the research is composed of young people who are studying at Aydin Adnan Menderes University in Turkey. According to findings, there is two main alternative approaches or attitudes towards the potential of digital social platforms to spread democracy and freedom: views of cyber-utopians and cyber-skeptics. Though there are different attitudes towards the state policies such as restricting and blocking access to digital social platforms, it is thought that the resources or facilities offered by the digital world may positively contribute to democracy and freedom in real terms as long as people and other internet stakeholders such as governments, policymakers are acting responsibly.