tkeemelést

Tkeemelés is a term that appears in contemporary Hungarian-language discourse on online media to describe the process by which a topic is elevated from obscurity into public prominence through coordinated or semi-coordinated user activity. The concept emphasizes the role of social networks, timing, framing, and repeated engagement, rather than the intrinsic importance of the issue itself.

Etymology and usage: The word is built from emelés, the Hungarian word for lifting or elevation, with a prefix-like element t- used in some coinages to signal a targeted or transient phenomenon. It is not widely standardized and appears chiefly in discussions about online discourse dynamics from the 2010s onward. In scholarly and journalistic contexts, tkeemelés is described as a mechanism that can accompany campaigns, memes, or trending topics.

Mechanisms: Core activities include rapid sharing among networks, strategic commenting to sustain visibility, creation of memes or visual assets to aid legibility, and the use of hashtags or cross-platform cross-posting to create the impression of broad consensus. The effect is often a perceived consensus or urgency that attracts further attention, sometimes masking disagreements about substance.

Criticism and implications: Critics argue that tkeemelés can distort public debate by amplifying transient concerns, enabling manipulation, or crowding out slower, evidence-based discussion. It intersects with concerns about astroturfing, informational cascades, and algorithmic amplification, though supporters may see it as a legitimate form of mobilization or attention economy.

See also: virality, hashtag activism, online manipulation, astroturfing.