A look at social media through conservatism: The example of Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University

This research examines the impact of digitalization on individuals and society through the social media use of university students who self-identify as conservative and those who do not. This research examines how social media goes beyond being a mere communication tool and plays a role in identity construction, value transfer, and the shaping of understandings of privacy. In societies with both traditional values ​​and perceived digitalization as intense, it attempts to understand the situations in which social media use can create a contradictory space, particularly for individuals who self-identify as conservative. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the relationship between social media and identity construction, the perception of privacy, and societal values. Qualitative research methods and structured interviews were employed in the study. A purposive sample was selected and comprised of 20 students, with an equal distribution in terms of gender, studying at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA, generating six main themes and over twenty subthemes. The findings revealed that participants adopted different strategies regarding visibility, privacy, value conflicts, and their perspectives on social media influencers in their social media use. The findings of the thesis indicate that individuals who self-identify as conservatives strive to balance visibility, privacy, and value conflicts in their social media use. Furthermore, relationships with social media influencers reveal the interaction of conservatism with popular culture. This research aims to make an original contribution to understanding the relationship between social media and cultural identity. Conducted at a single university, the results cannot be generalized; however, the research does offer a unique contribution to the literature on the interaction between social media and cultural identity.