Internet Trolling in ‘Networked’ Authoritarianism : A Qualitative Content Analysis of Tweets by Regi... A Qualitative Content Analysis of Tweets by Regime Supporters and ‘Ak Trolls’ in July 2016

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Beteiligte: Yildiz, Erkan, Smets, Kevin
In: Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication, 12, 2019, 3, S. 348-368
veröffentlicht:
Brill
Medientyp: Artikel, E-Artikel

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weitere Informationen
Umfang: 348-368
ISSN: 1873-9857
1873-9865
DOI: 10.1163/18739865-01203003
veröffentlicht in: Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication
Sprache: Unbestimmt
Schlagwörter:
Kollektion: Brill (CrossRef)
Inhaltsangabe

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Social media are usually associated with democratic political changes in authoritarian countries. However, authoritarian regimes have also learned to control the use of social media platforms. Among the ways of controlling social media, Internet trolling has emerged as an important part of social media networks and strategies. After the Gezi protests in 2013, Turkey has employed trolls to spread official views and counter government critics on social media, and pro-government users have become much more active. The government’s Twitter network has been built, primarily, on so-called ‘Ak trolls’. These have gained more impact in political circumstances, and with the help of state of emergency rules after the coup attempt on 15 July 2016, they have reached a level in which they influence Turkish social, political and Twitter spheres both directly and indirectly. This paper focuses on the tweets of regime supporters and ‘Ak trolls’ in order to explore the characteristics of posts in July 2016, during the days leading up to the coup attempt and in the post-coup period. Our work contributes to existing knowledge of trolls and the social media networks of authoritarian regimes by providing information on their behavior in times of acute conflict and crisis like the coup attempt.</jats:p>