Evaluation of social media in the context of information pollution: Example of 15 July case

Social media has become an important part of our daily activities through the entrance of internet into our lives. It emerges as an important platform where people can access various information and contents. It penetrates many areas of life and encompasses a wide range of fields from social networks to wikis, podcasts to blogs, audio-visual channels to forums. Wherever internet access is available, social media offers communication facility without time and space constraints. Although social media brings some conveniences to its users' lives, it also brings some problems itself. One of the most important issue that need to be considered in relation to social media is the nature of information, that is reliability and accuracy. This study discusses social media in the context of information pollution. For this reason, in the first and second part of the study, social media and information pollution concepts are mentioned respectively. Under these concepts social media platforms, characteristics of social media, purposes of use, and the relationship of internet and social media with the social movements and information pollution are mentioned. Third part of the study includes the failed coup attempt in Turkey, which is conducted by Fettullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETO). In this part of the study, it is analyzed how this initiative finds a response at social media sharing. As a result of the researches made regarding the coup attempt of 15 July, it is detected that there are many news and shares in social media that cause information pollution both nationally and internationally. Therefore this research, which is conducted in the context of 15 July, can be expected to make it possible to understand the social media experience about many similar massive events.