SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCACY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AND CAPITALIST INTERVENTION: ANALYZING THE #VEGANOL HASHTAG

Veganism is a philosophy of life that centres on animal rights and freedom. However, it has been transformed into a trendy lifestyle through various approaches, such as promoting healthy living. The increasing number of vegans worldwide and the rising vegan product market are driving veganism towards a framework that excludes animal slavery and exploitation. Similarly, the significant growth in the number of vegans in Turkey is prompting companies to increase their interest in vegan products and services. This study examines the types of profiles using the #veganol (#govegan) tag and the relationship between content and capitalist commercial companies. In this context, content analysis was conducted on 273 Instagram posts with the #veganol tag shared by users between April 2023 and 2024. According to the research results, a significant amount of vegan-related content using the tag supports capitalist consumption and focuses mainly on veganism in terms of food. However, both commercial companies and a significant portion of users tend to separate veganism from the context of animal rights and animal freedom. This study critically discusses the rapidly growing plant-based industries in the context of digital communication and activism with an interdisciplinary approach.