Polarization and Disinformation in the Context of the Letter Revolution in Türkiye: Analyzing the Dynamics of X

This study examines the dynamics of disinformation spread on X (formerly Twitter) in the context of Türkiye’s Letter Revolution, employing the Hypodermic Needle Model and Cultivation Theory as primary theoretical frameworks. By applying these theories to social media disinformation, we offer a novel approach to understanding both the immediate impact and long-term effects of false narratives on public perception. Our research analyzes a unique dataset of 36.9 million tweets from accounts closed due to disinformation spread, focusing on the #harfdevrimi hashtag. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how these communication theories can be effectively applied to modern digital environments, providing insights into the mechanisms of disinformation dissemination and its role in societal polarization. A comprehensive theoretical framework for analyzing social media disinformation, methodological innovations in large-scale social media data analysis, and critical insights into the challenges of maintaining an informed citizenry in politically sensitive contexts will be presented. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on media manipulation and offers a model for future studies on disinformation in digital spaces.