Somali'li gençlerin sosyal medyadaki çevrimiçi kimlikleri: Mogadişu gençliği üzerinde yapılan bir çalışma

Social media has increasingly become a significant part of many Somali young people's lives. Researches on social media and other new media in Somalia is very limited. This study however aims to examine Somali young people's use of SNSs and their identity expression. The study is conducted through qualitative interviews with twenty Somali young people living in the capital city of Mogadishu. The participants range in age from 18- 25 years old. The results show that Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter are the most used by young people. The predominant motivations for using these platforms include seeking information, sharing ideas and thoughts, communication, meeting new people and entertainment. The findings also reveal that young people experience different identity expression on social media based on their audience. Young people selectively self-present on Facebook while Instagram and Snapchat are more open, comfortable and free to express their identity. Furthermore, the study explains Somali young people's online identity management. Overall, the results may provide some insights into understanding Somali youth's online identity on social media. Finally, this study contributes to address a gap of knowledge in social media usage and online identity expression of Somali youth in Mogadishu. Keywords: Social media, Social network sites, Identity, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Somali, Young people