The Effects Of Hate Speech On Social Media: The Case Of Syrian Refugees In Türkiye

Abstract

Making hate speech on social media has started to reach great dimensions with the increase in internet usage and therefore social media users. Especially in recent years, the use of social media in a bureaucratic dimension has integrated the concept of social media diplomacy into our lives. Syrian refugees, who have been on Turkish territory for more than 10 years and most of them are still under temporary protection, have made Türkiye the country hosting the highest number of refugees in the world. After the civil war that started in their country, millions of Syrians came to Türkiye and settled in Türkiye. The population is constantly increasing with new births and there is an intense Syrian population presence, especially in some cities and regions. Therefore, anti-immigrant and anti-refugee discourses have started to increase in Türkiye, and social media has become an important channel for the dissemination of these discourses and the organization of these ideas. This study, in a descriptive way, defines hate speech and offers such discourse examples while explaining how Syrian immigrants, as the majority immigrant group, are subjected to hate speech on social media.