Social Media in the Middle East: The Story of 2015
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Date
2016-01
Authors
Radcliffe, Damian
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This report is the fourth in a series of annual reports designed to capture some of the key developments in the world of social media -¬ within the Middle East -¬ during the past twelve months. Interest in this field, which was first unlocked by the Arab Spring, continues to attract researchers, marketers and businesses.
The reasons for this are multiple: the region’s “youth bulge” makes the market attractive for anyone seeking to attract a young tech-¬‐savvy audience, meanwhile the growth of ISIS - and their use of social media - continues to pose challenging questions for policy makers and freedom of speech advocates.
These developments play out against a diverse backdrop, and this diversity results in wide variances in usage of social media and other digital technologies; with particular differences between the Gulf region and North Africa. In aggregate, regional usage of social media continues to be behind the global average.
Description
15 pages
Keywords
Social media, Social networking, Arab Spring, Middle East, MENA, Middle East and North Africa, Arab World, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Mobile, YouTube, Video content, Media habits, Media consumption, Social news, Second screen, Internet governance, Network society