Dijital Yalnızlık ve Sosyal Medya: Kuramsal ve Platform Temelli Bir İnceleme
Digital Loneliness and Social Media: A Theoretical and Platform-Based Analysis

Summary/Abstract: The rapid development of digital technologies has profoundly transformed individuals’ social relationships, identity construction, and communication practices. One of the most striking outcomes of this transformation is that individuals, despite being more connected than ever before, increasingly report experiencing a sense of loneliness. This study aims to analyze the impact of social media platforms on individuals' experiences of loneliness through a theoretical, empirical, and platform-based approach. The concept of loneliness is examined within the frameworks of sociological (Durkheim, Simmel), psychological (Weiss, Peplau), and communication theories, and is categorized into three main types: social, emotional, and existential loneliness. In the case study section of the research, social media platforms with differing structural characteristics namely Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit are comparatively analyzed in terms of user interaction and psychosocial outcomes. The findings reveal the dual effect of social media: while factors such as superficial relationships, social comparison, and digital dependency tend to intensify feelings of loneliness, support groups, online communities, and meaningful interactions may serve to alleviate it. The relationship between social media and loneliness is shaped by factors such as individual usage patterns, the algorithmic architecture of the platform, and the quality of digital interaction. The study emphasizes the importance of digital awareness, active and selective social media engagement, and media literacy in combating loneliness. It argues that individuals should cultivate a more conscious and meaningful relationship with technology. Furthermore, the study suggests that future research should adopt multidimensional analyses that take into account age, cultural context, and platform-specific differences.

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