Social media is not a truly alternative and free communication area improving democracy. It encourages the hegemonic
discourses and traditional power relations in society. Nevertheless, it has a potential to challenge the dominant discourses
with the help of online dynamism of alternative publics. This study aims to be an alternative approach focusing on both
positive and negative effects of social media on politics. It regards social media as a neutral channel in contrast to technodeterminism.
Twitter is usually explained as a new public sphere and an alternative communication area (Pérez-Latre,
Portilla, & Blanco, 2011). It is widely accepted that Twitter has a number of positive effects on developing freedom, equality
and democracy. It is possible to claim that Twitter affects power relations in terms of both extending the hegemony of
dominant power and encouraging opposition to the hegemony. Since Twitter is used for the dissemination of views, it can
generate discourses which can be functional for not only dominant powers but opponent struggles as well.
Discourses produce and reproduce power relations in society (van Dijk, 2001). These discourses also build social positions
giving meaningful explanations to individuals about their lives (Laclau & Mouffe, 2001). Gender studies suggest that social
roles grounded on differences between men and women are socially constructed. Scott (1988:2) claims that “gender is
the social organization of sexual difference. . . .. gender is the knowledge that establishes meanings for bodily differences”.
Patriarchal discourse determines social, economic, political and physical being of women (Kandiyotti, 2007). Our case on
patriarchal discourse on Twitter helps to explain social media’s contribution to strengthen the dominant roles and to create
discursive gap due to the absence of alternative publics on Twitter.