Dear Md. Rakib ,

Thank you for your question.

Digital platforms play an important role in shaping the experiences and narratives of displaced populations. This important role can sometimes be positive and sometimes negative. Let us start with the positive aspects. The opportunities offered by these platforms help refugees and asylum-seekers to make their voices heard, build social connections and share their experiences. Refugees can reach wider audiences by sharing their stories through digital platforms. Moreover, social media and blogs allow individuals to speak directly about their experiences. Furthermore, digital platforms also allow IDPs to build their own communities and connect with people with similar experiences. This will contribute to strengthening support and solidarity networks among refugees. Refugees can access resources, support services and legal information through digital platforms. This information flow facilitates their survival and integration processes.

Digital platforms can be used as a powerful tool to raise awareness on refugee issues. Digital campaigns and posts on refugees can help build empathy and understanding in society. Audiovisual media enable refugees to communicate their experiences more effectively. For example, video documents and podcasts can be effective in ‘emotional connection’.

These roles of digital platforms will contribute to displaced populations finding their own voices and playing a more active role in social processes, thus contributing positively to the psychological well-being of IDPs, particularly social psychology.

What I have mentioned above are positive impacts. There are also negative effects... I think it is these negative effects that are the most important.

The primary negative impact of digital platforms on displaced populations is undoubtedly the ‘spread of misinformation’. We see this much more frequently, especially in anti-refugee areas. The ‘spread of false or misleading information’ about displaced people on digital platforms leads to ‘increased prejudice and discrimination’ against them. sometimes personal experiences shared on digital platforms jeopardise the privacy of individuals. Refugees may be at ‘risk of revealing their identity’.

Refugees may encounter negative experiences such as ‘hate speech or cyberbullying’ on online platforms. This can lead to ‘psychological traumatisation’. The stories and experiences shared by refugees can be targeted and ‘manipulated’ by some groups. Unfortunately, this situation also increases ‘social polarisation’.

Of course, these effects are not limited to what I have mentioned here. They can be developed and diversified.

In sum, digital platforms play an important role in shaping refugees' experiences and narratives. This sometimes encourages refugees to raise their voices and tell their stories and experiences, which in turn increases their motivation, social integration and, most importantly, their capacity to cope with post-displacement challenges. However, refugees may sometimes ‘withdraw into themselves’ due to ‘privacy issues’, ‘discrimination’ and ‘marginalisation’ on digital platforms.

I hope this answer will be useful for you.

Best Wishes

Recep Baydemir