Use of social media as a news source in the networking society: An examination of the digital division

The study aims to examine and define the main causes of the digital divide that may arise from the use of social media for information and news purposes among individuals. To examine the information-oriented experiences of participants on social networks, we adopt a phenomenological approach prioritizing individual expectations, experiences, and motivations. Our study focuses on the idea that the digital divide is caused by the use of these tools rather than access to communication tools. We aim to examine how real experiences are realized in an individual-oriented study. The study analyzes the interpersonal digital divide by emphasizing participants' digital literacy skills based on their education levels. To achieve this, we conducted in-depth interviews with 12 participants who had university education and 12 participants who did not. We interpreted the findings by categorizing them into themes within the context of van Dijk's digital divide theory of resources and adoption. Exploring the digital divide from a qualitative perspective enabled in-depth research by prioritizing participant experiences. The study observed that participants had varying levels of education and digital skills, resulting in an interpersonal digital divide. The digital divide between participants is formed depending on their digital literacy levels, with a focus on digital skills. Furthermore, it has been determined that social media platforms' issues with surveillance, freedom of expression, advertising, and content repetition may create digital divisions among individuals when accessing and evaluating news on social media. Keywords: Network society, Digital divide, Social media, News sources, Digital inequalities, Digital literacy