HALAL-HARAM PERCEPTION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN SOCIAL MEDIA USE: THE CASE OF BARTIN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

In this study, it is examined how the social media usage habits of university students are shaped by their understanding of halal and haram; in this direction, it is aimed to address these habits within the framework of halal and haram concepts. The study examines how individuals' understanding of privacy in the digital world is shaped by religious values and how this understanding is reflected in content production, sharing and interaction processes on social media platforms. In addition, it was analyzed how students evaluate the content they are exposed to on social media within the framework of halal-haram and how these evaluations affect their usage habits. In this study, which was conducted within the framework of phenomenological design by adopting qualitative research method, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 6 female and 5 male university students studying in different faculties. The interview form used in the data collection process was composed of open-ended questions aiming to understand the participants' religious perspectives on social media use in depth. The data obtained were analyzed by qualitative content analysis method; themes, sub-themes and codes were determined in the analysis process and a detailed evaluation was made. The findings reveal that the participants pay attention to make conscious choices in line with their religious beliefs in the use of social media and evaluate the content they encounter in the context of halal and haram. In addition, it is seen that individuals' perceptions of halal and haram significantly affect the types of content they watch and interact with. The results of the study are expected to contribute to the development of individuals' awareness about the use of social media and provide suggestions for increasing social awareness in this field.