The role of social media in Arab spring

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In 2011 an extraordinary wave of mass demonstrations swept all over the Middle East. Enormous mass mobilization toppled leaders in Tunisia and Egypt, helped spark bloody battle in Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, and Libya, and essentially reshaped the regime in the area. Social media got a lot of attention during the Arab uprising. Some studies gave the social media major credit for being platform for starting, guiding the civil revolutions, and playing a significant role in the uprisings. While other studies proved that social media did not deserve glorification. this article discuss the two views and try to analyze the facts in order to reach a satisfied conclusion for whether Arab spring needed the social media to spark it or not.

Many people believe that social media played a significant role and helped to accelerate the pace of the revolutions in the Arab spring. (Howard & Hussain, 2013) said that social media is one of the most substantial and mandatory terms for the Arab Spring. Also, the evidence proves that social media spread a cascade of democratic thoughts all over the Middle East, and increased the likelihood of success of political revolution. In the same way, (Khondker, 2011) stressed on the role of social media evidenced by the protests in Tunisia which were forcibly dispersed in 2008 without any backlash. One of the causes was that at that point there were just 28,000 Facebook users in Tunisia; hence the social media penetration was insignificant. The self-immolation of Bouazizi became eventually worldwide event, thanks to the social media that disseminating news, galvanizing the mass sentiment and paving the path for mass protests in Tunisia.

“Facebook revolution” is just an exaggeration. This is on the other hand, wha...

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...day prayers and places such as Tahrir Square or the Corniche in Alexandria gave explicit “focal points” for demonstrators. Moreover; many of citizens joined to the marches when they saw it passed by their windows. The same scenario happened in Syria. Both virtual and real demonstrators came out in droves to lead the revolution in the actual ground not in the virtual world.
Last but not least; yes; the social media highlighted the issues of tyranny in some countries in the Arab world so the whole world can reach it. However; it did not play a vital role in the revolution in-country. Also, using the term “Facebook revolution” to name such a revolution is just an insulting. The tools have never been in the history of the humanity a motivator that cause people to go out of their house directly to the streets demanding for their rights. Simply; it is just a tool.

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