The Contribution of the New Media to the Public Opinion Formation Process in the Turkish Republics and its Place in Education

Abstract

With the development of computer and internet technologies, new media has become indispensable to daily life in the digital age. The concept of public opinion, which is at the centre of many research topics in the field of communication, has also interacted with new media in this context. Thus, new media tools have begun to be seen as critical elements in the processes of public opinion formation. This study aims to investigate how new media affects public opinion formation processes in the Turkish Republic and to contribute to the relevant literature. The most important result of the study is that in the postmodern age, new media is one of the dominant elements that direct the thoughts and attitudes of individuals in the public opinion formation processes. Another critical finding in the study is that the use of new media in the Turkic Republics increases yearly. In this context, digital diplomacy has begun to be used more intensively among member countries. Finally, in the current conjuncture, new media has a strategic importance in disseminating propaganda materials, and young people in the Turkish Republic are the segment of society that uses new media most actively in public opinion formation processes.