The effect of digital culture on disadvantaged women: The case of Gaziantep

The aim of this research is to examine in detail the relationship of women living in disadvantaged areas with digital culture and how the change created by this relationship has an impact on their social lives. The study group of the research conducted with qualitative research design consists of 16 disadvantaged women residing in Karşıyaka Neighbourhood of Şehitkamil district of Gaziantep. In determining the sample of the study, the easily accessible case sampling method was used. The research data were collected through semi-structured interviews with disadvantaged women. The data collected through the interview form were analysed using content and descriptive analysis techniques. According to the results of the research, it was determined that most of the participants spent three to four hours a day watching television. The study also revealed that 'TV series' and 'generation programmes' are the most watched programme types. The reasons for watching television are entertainment, filling time and seeing the lifestyles in TV series. The study also found that most of the women (participants) living in disadvantaged areas spend more than 2-3 hours per day on the internet. For the time they spent on the internet, i.e. social media or digital media, the participants gave positive reasons such as emotional comfort, communication, time utilisation, and following the agenda. In this context, the participants also evaluated the negative aspects of digital environments by focusing on concepts such as wasting time, encouraging bad habits, harming family relationships and contradicting our values.