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Journals / Erciyes İletişim Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 13 Sayı: 1

“Accept” or “Reject?” A Qualitative Study on Users’ Perceptions of Cookies and Their Decision-Making Processes

“Kabul Et” mi “Reddet” mi? Kullanıcıların Çerezlere Dair Algısı ve Karar Verme Süreçleri Üzerine Nitel Bir Araştırma

Hande Aral Uluk0000-0003-2717-5698
Murat Uluk(BEYKENT ÜNİVERSİTESİ, İLETİŞİM FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-5923-8468
Sedat Erol(BEYKENT ÜNİVERSİTESİ, İLETİŞİM FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0003-4650-213X
Pages
289–312
Publication Date
2026-01-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Overall, current cookie notice practices do not support meaningful user control.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Cookies are small files that let websites store data on a user’s device through the browser.
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Key Findings & Data:We conducted in-person interviews with 62 young adults aged 18–24 living in Istanbul.
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Conclusion & Impact:Overall, current cookie notice practices do not support meaningful user control.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Çerez · Çerez Bildirim Tasarımı · Çerez Politikası

Abstract

Cookies are small files that let websites store data on a user’s device through the browser. As data-protection rules expanded, cookie banners became nearly universal. Turkish scholarship, however, has paid limited attention to how people decide when they meet these prompts, or how “consent” is formed in everyday browsing. This study explores what users know about cookies, how they act when they see cookie notices, and what shapes their choices to accept or refuse. We conducted in-person interviews with 62 young adults aged 18–24 living in Istanbul. Most participants reported only surface-level knowledge. Despite this, they did not simply click “accept”; many approached banners with suspicion and caution. Decisions were shaped not only by digital skills but also by the mental effort of reading options, deceptive interface designs, time pressure, and trust in the website. Overall, current cookie notice practices do not support meaningful user control. We argue for clearer, non-steering consent flows that are easy to understand and grounded in design ethics.

Özet

Çerezler, web etkileşimlerinden doğan veriyi saklayarak kullanıcıların cihazlarına tarayıcı aracılığıyla yerleştirilen veri toplama araçlarıdır. Çerez bildirimleri, ulusal ve uluslararası veri koruma düzenlemeleri sonrasında web sitelerinde hızla yaygınlaşmıştır. Buna karşın, kullanıcıların bu bildirimler karşısında nasıl karar verdiği ve açık rızanın gündelik web deneyiminde nasıl üretildiği yerli literatürde yeterince açıklığa kavuşmamıştır. Bu bağlamda web kullanıcılarının çerezlere dair deneyimini anlamak ve kullanıcıyı denklemin bir parçası kılmak önemlidir. Bu çalışma, kullanıcıların çerezlere ilişkin bilgilerini, çerez bildirimleriyle karşılaştıklarında nasıl karar aldıklarını ve kabul/ret tercihlerini hangi etkenlerin şekillendirdiğini incelemektedir. Nitel metodolojiyle, İstanbul’da yaşayan 18–24 yaş aralığındaki 62 genç yetişkinle yüz yüze görüşmeler yoluyla veriler elde edilmiştir. Bulgular, katılımcıların çoğunda bilgi ve farkındalığın yüzeysel kaldığını; yetersiz bilgi koşullarına rağmen bildirimlere sorgusuz rıza göstermek yerine sıklıkla şüphe ve temkinle yaklaşıldığını göstermektedir. Karar eğilimleri, bireysel dijital yeterliliğin ötesinde bilişsel yük, aldatıcı tasarım kalıpları, hız ve zaman maliyeti ile güven duygusu gibi yapısal unsurlarca şekillenmektedir; bu da kullanıcı kararlarının bağlamsal koşullara duyarlı olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma, mevcut çerez bildirimi sisteminin kullanıcılar nezdinde yetersiz kaldığını ve veri üzerinde kullanıcı kontrolünü güçlendiren şeffaf, yönlendirmeden uzak, tasarım etiği ilkeleriyle uyumlu bilgilendirilmiş onam mekanizmalarına ihtiyaç olduğunu göstermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Uluk, H. A., Uluk, M., Erol, S. (2026). “Accept” or “Reject?” A Qualitative Study on Users’ Perceptions of Cookies and Their Decision-Making Processes. Erciyes İletişim Dergisi, Cilt: 13 Sayı: 1, 289–312. https://doi.org/10.17680/erciyesiletisim.1755798

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