Social Media Increase in Middle East Heather Washington 10/8/2014 Information Management/Case Study Dr. Kellner

The Arab Spring  Arab spring was a set of demonstrations, protests, riots and civil wars  Started in 2010 but named “Arab Spring” by Western civilization media in 2011  Response to aged Arabian dictatorships  Privatization, unemployment, rising prices are just a few causes  Arab spring was a set of demonstrations, protests, riots and civil wars  Started in 2010 but named “Arab Spring” by Western civilization media in 2011  Response to aged Arabian dictatorships  Privatization, unemployment, rising prices are just a few causes Photo From:

Gender Equality  Online activism – used by women and other activist organizations to mobilize, produce knowledge and develop and share resources and information  Form of empowerment  Create unity in classes  Accounts for the major usage of social media by women  Online activism – used by women and other activist organizations to mobilize, produce knowledge and develop and share resources and information  Form of empowerment  Create unity in classes  Accounts for the major usage of social media by women Social media for social change in the Middle East and North Africa: Women's use of social media to enhance civil society and facilitate social change in the MENA. (2012). Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-31.

Arab Spring Sparks “Spring” in Social Media Use  Online Protests – “Voiced their dissatisfaction with the government” (AL-RAWI)  One of first social medias was established by U.S embassy in Baghdad. It caught on from there.  Online Protests – “Voiced their dissatisfaction with the government” (AL-RAWI)  One of first social medias was established by U.S embassy in Baghdad. It caught on from there. AL-RAWI, A. K. (2014). The Arab Spring and Online Protests in Iraq. International Journal Of Communication ( ),

What is Social Media? Joseph, S. (2012). SOCIAL MEDIA, POLITICAL CHANGE, AND HUMAN RIGHTS. Boston College International & Comparative Law Review, 35(1), Social media is defined as “a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation of exchange of User Generated Content.” “ Web 2.0 ” refers to Internet platforms that allow for interactive participation by users(Joseph, 2012).

Web 2.0 The term “Web 2.0” has many definitions. However, the main consensus is that the term describes the trend that increases creativity, information sharing, and collaboration among users (O’Reilly 2007). It refers to two major internet paradigm shifts: “user-generated content,” and “cloud computing” (Techweb 2009). User-Generated Content: User-generated content is a medium that allows everyone to have input in the web through blogs, wikis, and social networking sites. Web 2.0 has allowed talented artists to gain an online audience, which has facilitated recognition of their work that may not have occurred by conventional means(Techweb 2009). Makes it easier for countries to connect with one another Merwin, Jerry W., Peterson, Bonnie. Holtzclaw, Mark, & Wilmoth, Wendy S., Editors Information Management Manual: A Guide for Students & Practitioners

Revolutionary Tool  Facebook fuels ongoing revolution in Egypt  upportiraq  (sample of Baghdad’s page one of first)  Facebook fuels ongoing revolution in Egypt  upportiraq  (sample of Baghdad’s page one of first) l Photos from:

Bridging the Gap in Egypt  Social media in Egypt combined people of all classes including rich and poor (Sheldon)

Facebook in the Middle East  The growth of social media throughout 2012 has not shown signs of slowing down, either on a global level or within the Arab region. Globally, Facebook still dominates, with over 901 million ‘monthly active’ users worldwide - by the end of March of which 500 million access the Facebook platform through their mobiles. Additionally, 500 million Facebook users log in daily and 80 percent of users are located outside North America1  The total number of Facebook users in the Arab world stands at 45,194,452 (as of end June, 2012), up from 37,390,837 at the beginning of the year (January 3, 2012), having increased by about 50% since the same time last year (29,845,871 in end June 2011).  The growth of social media throughout 2012 has not shown signs of slowing down, either on a global level or within the Arab region. Globally, Facebook still dominates, with over 901 million ‘monthly active’ users worldwide - by the end of March of which 500 million access the Facebook platform through their mobiles. Additionally, 500 million Facebook users log in daily and 80 percent of users are located outside North America1  The total number of Facebook users in the Arab world stands at 45,194,452 (as of end June, 2012), up from 37,390,837 at the beginning of the year (January 3, 2012), having increased by about 50% since the same time last year (29,845,871 in end June 2011).

Facebook فيسبوك      

Twitter in the Middle East  Twitter, on the other hand, reached the 500 million mark in February 2012, of which 140 million are ‘active’ users, generating 340 million tweets a day. About 60% of the active users produce tweets, while the remaining 40% log in just to get news and information. Much like Facebook, 70% of Twitter users reside outside the USA and 57% of users utilize their mobile devices and smartphones to access Twitter. Arabic language is the fastest growing language eve r on Twitter, among 25 other different languages used on the site. To accommodate this growth, Twitter recently introduced an Arabic language interface.  The total number of active Twitter users and tweet volume in each of the 22 Arab countries (plus Iran, Israel and Turkey) over the month of June 2012 was estimated using a Twitter API (application programming interface) specially developed for this research  The estimated number of tweets generated in the Arab region in March 2012 by “active users” was 172,511,590 tweets. The estimated number of daily tweets is 5,750,386 tweets per day, or 3993 tweets a minute, or roughly 67 tweets every second. The most popular trending hashtags across the Arab region in March 2012 were #bahrain followed by سوريا (Arabic for Syria) with 1.5 million mentions, بحرين (Arabic for Bahrain) with 1.48 million mentions, #syria (with 1.3. million mentions) and #egypt (with 900,000 mentions), and #kuwait (with 860,000 mentions)  Twitter, on the other hand, reached the 500 million mark in February 2012, of which 140 million are ‘active’ users, generating 340 million tweets a day. About 60% of the active users produce tweets, while the remaining 40% log in just to get news and information. Much like Facebook, 70% of Twitter users reside outside the USA and 57% of users utilize their mobile devices and smartphones to access Twitter. Arabic language is the fastest growing language eve r on Twitter, among 25 other different languages used on the site. To accommodate this growth, Twitter recently introduced an Arabic language interface.  The total number of active Twitter users and tweet volume in each of the 22 Arab countries (plus Iran, Israel and Turkey) over the month of June 2012 was estimated using a Twitter API (application programming interface) specially developed for this research  The estimated number of tweets generated in the Arab region in March 2012 by “active users” was 172,511,590 tweets. The estimated number of daily tweets is 5,750,386 tweets per day, or 3993 tweets a minute, or roughly 67 tweets every second. The most popular trending hashtags across the Arab region in March 2012 were #bahrain followed by سوريا (Arabic for Syria) with 1.5 million mentions, بحرين (Arabic for Bahrain) with 1.48 million mentions, #syria (with 1.3. million mentions) and #egypt (with 900,000 mentions), and #kuwait (with 860,000 mentions)

Twitter تويتر     &sk=#view=detail&id=92D65F3509FF00BDC62A32388F981F864E627988&selectedIndex=14

Personal Impacts in the ME countries  View Handouts

Social Media, a Year after the Uprisings: Key Findings and Conclusions  An evolution in types of usage that has built on the political empowerment brought about by social media in the Middle East– and witnessed by others-has grown beyond that to influence shifts in perception regarding culture, identity and the ability to impact social change  Social, Cultural, Identity impacts  An evolution in types of usage that has built on the political empowerment brought about by social media in the Middle East– and witnessed by others-has grown beyond that to influence shifts in perception regarding culture, identity and the ability to impact social change  Social, Cultural, Identity impacts

Impact on society  People’s use of social media, emboldened by the political change it helped bring about throughout 2011, has become more widespread and influential on societies and communities in the Arab region. Social media users generally hold positive views on its impact on, and potential for creating social change. Ultimately, social media is being seen and used as an agent of change.

Impact on cultural attitudes  On an even more personal level, social media usage is not just perceived to bring about change within communities, but within people themselves. Many claim that social media usage and, by association, its ability to expose people to a variety of ideas and opinions, has led them to become more open and tolerant of these views.

Impact on identity:  Social media’s ability to connect people, their opinions and experiences across the globe has not only influenced a change in social media users’ attitudes towards others, but has also reinforced their sense of identity within this new networked virtual community.  Although the top ranking aspect or ‘type’ of identity reinforced by social media was the ‘national’ one, feeling like a ‘global citizen ’ was a close second, and religious identity the lowest ranking, suggesting that social media may –for now- have the ability to influence a more globalized society while de-emphasizing religious differences.  Social media’s ability to connect people, their opinions and experiences across the globe has not only influenced a change in social media users’ attitudes towards others, but has also reinforced their sense of identity within this new networked virtual community.  Although the top ranking aspect or ‘type’ of identity reinforced by social media was the ‘national’ one, feeling like a ‘global citizen ’ was a close second, and religious identity the lowest ranking, suggesting that social media may –for now- have the ability to influence a more globalized society while de-emphasizing religious differences.

Interesting Facts  Unlike other governmental and private websites, Iraqi blogs are highly connected to one another, which signifies a “tight community, as well as Web-literacy that is not evident elsewhere on the Iraqi Web” (AL-RAWI )  Youtubing is also on the rise in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabi 50% of YouTube users are women ;) (Dubai School of Government).  LinkedIn has also seen growth throughout the first half of 2012, with penetration rates that surpass those of Twitter in all these countries (except for Kuwait)(Dubai School of Government).  English, Arabic and French are the dominant languages on Facebook, and Arabic is now the fastest growing language on Facebook in the region, with an increase in the number of Facebook users who predominantly use the Arabic interface. http ://

SOURCES مصادر Social media for social change in the Middle East and North Africa: Women's use of social media to enhance civil society and facilitate social change in the MENA. (2012). Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, Dewey, C. (2012, December 19). How the Middle East uses social media, in four charts. Retrieved September 29, AL-RAWI, A. K. (2014). The Arab Spring and Online Protests in Iraq. International Journal Of Communication ( ), Himelfarb, S. (2011, April 11). Social Media in the Middle East. Retrieved September 29, Manfreda, P. (2012, September 13). What Is the Arab Spring? Retrieved September 29, Mogeeb, H. (2012, February 1). Twitter in Arabic and Right-to-Left Languages. Retrieved October 1, Illath, J., BuKattara, S., Bashir, D., Minhas, M., Jawad, S., Winterstein, D., & Nagbou, S. (n.d.). Social Media in the Arab World: Influencing Societal and Cultural Change? Arab Social Media Report, 2(1), Retrieved September 29, 2014.

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