Socio-digital precarity: The unequal dynamics of digital fatigue in Turkey

Mehmet Tahir Karaboğa 1 *
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1 Department of Social Studies Education, Faculty of Education, Mersin University, Mersin, TURKEY
* Corresponding Author
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume 16, Issue 4, Article No: e202653. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/19769
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ABSTRACT

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.
Keywords: digital fatigue, socio-digital precarity, attention economy, performance culture, inequality

CITATION

Karaboğa, M. T. (2026). Socio-digital precarity: The unequal dynamics of digital fatigue in Turkey. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 16(4), e202653. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/19769

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