Wattpad, where reading and writing skills are used in the digital media, is one of the digital literacy applications that aims to respond to the needs of its users to meet literary texts and create literary texts. Determining the reasons and frequency of this widely used program, particularly among students and young writers, is crucial for investigating its effects on users and optimizing its use in education and training. Considering these reasons, this research was conducted to determine the frequency and purposes of secondary school students (5th, 6th and 7th grades) using the Wattpad application and to uncover the extent of the program’s impact on them. In this study, quantitative and qualitative research methods were conducted together, the data obtained through questionnaires and interviews were evaluated through descriptive and content analysis. According to the results of the questionnaire; it was understood that the students who used the Wattpad primarily for “reading” purposes, the most read genres were novels and stories, and the students who used the application for writing purposes generally wrote novels and stories. Face-to-face interviews with students using the Wattpad confirmed the survey results to a great extent. Additionally, it was determined that students who read books published in the application environment were exposed to visuals and texts containing slang, insults and vulgar words and sexuality, encountered negativities such as idea theft and unauthorized copying, and experienced some health problems based on their program usage habits.

Wattpad, media literacy, e-reading, digital literacy, new media.