This study examines the invisible pressures created by digital technologies in everyday life and their unequal effects on individuals. Within the framework of the concept of “socio-digital precarity,” the research approaches digital fatigue not merely as a result of screen time or individual habits, but as a reflection of structural dynamics such as the neoliberal economy, the attention economy, and performance culture. This quantitative study conducted with 807 participants from seven regions of Turkey revealed that digital fatigue significantly differs by income, age, and region, with descriptive variation by gender. Individuals with low-income and those in disadvantaged regions reported higher levels of digital fatigue, while women showed slightly higher mean scores. These findings indicate that digital fatigue is not an individual issue but a social problem distributed unequally. The study proposes to reconsider digital fatigue within the framework of “fatigue justice” in media and cultural studies. It offers policymakers and scholars a new perspective for discussing the ethical boundaries of the attention economy, enhancing transparency in algorithmic design, and strengthening the digital well-being of vulnerable groups.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the emergence of AI-generated virtual influencers have made it necessary to examine their effects on societal dynamics, particularly in the daily lives of young people. This study focuses on the representation of gender in AI virtual influencers and their impact on perceptions of reality, aiming to identify the expectations of generation Z (Gen Z) university students in Turkey regarding AI influencers. The data obtained in the study were analyzed through logistic regression. The results of a survey conducted with 406 university students in Eskisehir revealed that members of Gen Z prefer a more inclusive understanding of AI influencers rather than a gender-based approach. The findings indicate that AI influencers are not strongly associated with traditional gender roles. This study demonstrates that the representations of AI influencers blur the boundaries between reality and simulation, resonating with Baudrillard’s (1994) concept of simulacra. Gen Z possesses an evolving perspective on gender norms and prefers a more inclusive representation within AI influencer culture.
Academic writing remains a significant challenge for many first-year students in open distance and e-learning contexts within large enrolment modules. This study investigates the underlying causes of these challenges and evaluates the effectiveness of targeted, technology-mediated support interventions. Following the assessment and moderation of the first assignment in a first-year academic writing module, key areas of difficulty were identified, prompting the use of an online evaluation questionnaire to explore students’ experiences. Guided by transactional distance theory, the study aims to reduce students’ sense of isolation and enhance engagement through the integration of podcasts and vodcasts. A qualitative research design was employed, drawing on data from the questionnaire and document analysis of second assignment and take-home examination scripts. The findings indicate measurable improvements in students’ academic writing skills, including the construction of logical arguments, effective use of discourse markers for cohesion, structured paragraphing, paraphrasing, and the development of an academic voice. Improvements in citation practices, referencing accuracy, and language use were also observed. However, persistent challenges such as plagiarism and limited utilization of learning resources remained. This study contributes to digital pedagogy by demonstrating the value of multimedia interventions in enhancing academic literacy in online distance environments.
The widespread adoption of digital technologies has profoundly influenced the lives of children, youths, and adolescents, raising growing concerns about the psychological and social impacts of online engagement. In response, this study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the research landscape in this field, highlighting publication trends, key contributors, emerging research themes, and patterns of collaboration. Using data retrieved from the Scopus database, the analysis examined publication growth, identified the most influential authors, journals, and countries, explored co-authorship relationships among authors and nations, and assessed knowledge exchange through bibliographic coupling of countries. The results indicate a steady increase in publication output over the past decade, with a pronounced surge in recent years, reflecting heightened scholarly interest in this area. Several authors, institutions, and countries emerged as major contributors to the literature. Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed prominent research themes, including cyberbullying, internet addiction, social media use, and their implications for mental health. In addition, the study examined collaboration patterns among researchers and journals and identified clusters of countries with strong collaborative ties. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the current state of research on the psychological and social effects of digital technology use on children’s and adolescents’ well-being in online environments, highlighting research gaps, collaboration opportunities, and future research directions. The bibliometric approach employed offers a distinctive perspective on the evolving knowledge landscape and supports efforts to strengthen collaboration and enhance research impact in this critical field.
Climate change communication (CCC) is an important area of research that examines how various strategies are used to raise awareness, educate, and promote action on the impacts of climate change. Although CCC holds a significant place in the environmental communication literature, there is limited research identifying the development and key topics in this field over the past 20 years. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of research on CCC worldwide from January 2006 to December 2025. To address the research question, we used bibliometric mapping to systematically assess and visually represent the development of this research field using VOSviewer to summarize and visualize research topics and the evolution of the frontiers in CCC literature. For data collection, 825 articles in the Scopus database were analyzed. The results showed that most journals with the highest number of publications are classified as Q1 in Scopus, and co-cited documents covered the field, which began with psychological behavioral theories, developed through media ethics and framing strategies, and has evolved into a multidimensional discipline that now encompasses political and economic constraints. In addition, the results demonstrated that emerging research themes included public perceptions, psychological and demographic dynamics, policy and risk management, public opinion and public health, social media, and geographic focus. Furthermore, the results highlight a significant research gap, indicating that future studies should examine CCC in diverse cultural environments.
