Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
International Conference on Social Media & Society, London, İngiltere, 16 - 18 Temmuz 2024
This research posits that digital platforms, while offering avenues for financial gains through migration, also strategically commodify migration, often oversimplifying and detaching it from its complex socio-political context. This study seeks to unravel the intricate relationship between digital migration narratives and actual migratory trends, providing a nuanced understanding of this phenomenon. In the evolving socio-political landscape, Turkey has experienced a noticeable migration wave, especially among its highly skilled population towards Western countries, including both illegal entries into the U.S. via Mexico and legal entries into Germany. This exodus is driven by diverse factors: neoliberal impacts, economic volatility, increasing authoritarianism, and the spread of conservative ideologies. Importantly, these immigrants often fill the labor void in transnational capitalism, providing cheap labor. The enforced secondary citizen status, through a strategy of fear, fosters deeper integration into the capitalist system. These dynamics are increasingly marketed through media tools, particularly YouTube, which plays a crucial role in shaping, influencing, and marketing migration experiences and decisions. In the realm of digital media, the commodification of migration narratives, especially on platforms like YouTube, raises critical ethical concerns. Content creators often craft migration narratives that prioritize financial profitability over factual accuracy or social responsibility. Neoliberal rationality, which has permeated every aspect of life today, recreates everything and everyone in the image of homo economicus (Brown, 2019). The neoliberal rationality permeates digital content creation, potentially distorting public perceptions of migration by prioritizing sensationalism and viewer engagement for monetary benefits. Such a scenario not only undermines the authenticity of migrant experiences but also shapes a public discourse that aligns more with market-driven narratives than the multifaceted realities of migration. This phenomenon necessitates a critical examination of how digital platforms, under the guise of open communication, may inadvertently foster a skewed understanding of complex socio-political issues like migration, influenced predominantly by the imperatives of neoliberal capitalism. The way media frames migration narratives could significantly influence public perceptions, as described by Entman (1993). Additionally, incorporating insights from digital media studies, such as the concept of digital diaspora (Brinkerhoff, 2009), could offer a deeper understanding of how digital platforms create transnational communities that shape migration experiences. This integration of media and migration theories could be further enriched by considering the concept of transnationalism (Basch et al., 1994), which explores how migrants maintain connections across borders through digital media. Recent studies underscore the multifaceted role of digital platforms in shaping migration narratives, highlighting their influence in both disseminating migration information and forming supportive transnational networks (Smith &; Mazzucato, 2020), as well as their capacity to empower migrants and challenge prevailing discourses through digital storytelling (Johansson & Scaramuzzino, 2019). This study aims to analyze how media consumption, specifically through YouTube marketing of migration' videos, impacts and shapes migration movements. We hypothesize, based on the media effects theory (Perse, 2001), that these media channels significantly influence audience perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. This research focuses on two primary questions: What themes dominate the most-viewed marketing of migration videos on YouTube, and how do these themes reflect, shape, or distort the socio-political realities of migration? How do viewer interactions, as seen in comments, engage with these digital narratives? We will employ a qualitative methodology, conducting a thematic analysis of the most-watched migration-related YouTube videos. This analysis will explore the prevalent themes, narrative interactions, and the perception of these narratives in viewer comments. Our goal is to understand the themes shaping these videos and the impact they have on viewers' perceptions of migration. We aim to identify and categorize the predominant themes, narrative styles, and any discernible biases or distortions in these digital migration narratives. To enhance the depth of our research, we will conduct an empirical study involving university students. Participants will be shown a selection of these YouTube videos. Following the viewing session, in-depth interviews will be conducted with each participant to explore their thoughts and feelings about the videos in greater detail. These interviews aim to understand the impact of these videos on the viewers' perceptions of migration, their understanding of the socio-political context of migration, and the role of digital media in shaping these perceptions. The combination of thematic video analysis and in-depth interviews will provide a comprehensive understanding of how digital migration narratives are constructed, perceived, and potentially influence migration decisions. This approach will also allow for the exploration of any discrepancies between the portrayed narratives in the videos and the actual perceptions and attitudes of the viewers towards migration. By including university students in our study, we aim to capture the perspectives of a demographic that is not only technologically savvy but also represents a significant portion of potential future migrants. This demographic;s insights will be invaluable in understanding the broader implications of digital marketing of migration and its impact on young, educated individuals in Turkey.