TUBITAK Bilim Genc Article Discusses Risks of Social Media

A new article published by TUBITAK Bilim Genc comprehensively discussed the negative impacts and risks of social media on individuals and society. The study evaluated major digital issues such as echo chambers, filter bubbles, disinformation, and surveillance capitalism.

The article published in TUBITAK Bilim Genc examined the echo chamber effect, which is one of the most debated issues among the problems caused by social media. According to research, individuals following accounts close to their own views and remaining in an information environment where the same ideas are constantly repeated can increase social polarization. Cass Sunstein points out that this situation carries risks for the functioning of democracy and emphasizes the importance of encountering different views.

The determination of content on the internet by algorithms is explained by Eli Pariser's concept of the filter bubble. Users encountering content selected according to their past behaviors can limit access to different views. Furthermore, Oxford University Press selecting the concept of "rage bait" as the word of the year in 2025 shows how engagement-focused algorithms on platforms trigger the feeling of anger.

Although social media platforms provide fast access to information, they can lay the groundwork for the spread of false information and disinformation. The United Nations' 2024 Global Principles for Information Integrity and UNESCO's guidelines emphasize that disinformation and hate speech in these environments must be combated. Meanwhile, psychologist Mark Griffiths from Nottingham Trent University states that addictions also encompass the excessive use of social media.

Jose van Dijck from Utrecht University states that social media are systems shaping user behaviors, while Shoshana Zuboff from Harvard Business School defines the conversion of user data into economic value as surveillance capitalism. The study also addressed digital inequalities and new risks such as cyberbullying for youth and children.