Özet:

The suggestion of whether online platforms enabled by digitalization create a new public sphere has been one of the most topical discussions in recent years. In its simplest form, the public sphere encompasses the totality of discourse and actions carried out with the common interests of society in mind, with collective participation being a crucial component. However, the notion that the concept of the public sphere, both online and offline, has failed to serve its "common good" function with digitalization remains relevant. It is particularly important to understand the function of social media within the public sphere, where the user is in an active position. The power of social media in information flow and dissemination creates the risk of infodemics. Within this scope, the aim of this study is to examine the role of social media in the infodemic during the post-disaster period in Kahramanmaraş, which occurred on February 6th, 2023, within the framework of the concept of digital public sphere. The study was designed quantitatively and analyzed the news about the disaster that the Teyit Org and Doğruluk Payı platforms needed to verify through Content Analysis, which was selected through the Criterion Sampling method. As a result of the study, it was revealed that the information circulating during the disaster period increased the need for confirmation, the falsely associated and distorted news intensified, and the digital public sphere could not fully fulfill the social common benefit function during the disaster periods.

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