Since the beginning of 2011, social
media has played an integral role during the events of the Arab Spring in
places such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, despite whether or not people could
get online. Different sorts of media such as image and video were also used to
portray the information. Images surfaced that showed current events, which
illustrated what was going on within the Arabian nations. “The visual media
that spread throughout the Internet depicted not only singular moments, but
showed the Arabian nations' history, and the change that was to come” (McCann –
New York Times). Through social media, the ideals of rebel groups, as well as
the current situations in each country received international attention. It is
still debated whether or not social media acted as a primary catalyst for the
Arab Spring to gain momentum and become an internationally recognized
situation. Regardless, it has still played a crucial role in the movement.
“Social media, its rise and its new activist
uses, have played a critical role in mobilization, empowerment, shaping
opinions, and influencing change” (Huang – The National). Just how integral its
role was has been debated, with some camps labelling them the main instigators
and others relegating them to mere tools. Regardless, it can be stated that
many of the calls to protest in the Arab region were initially made on Facebook.
As the initial platform for these calls, it cannot be denied that they were
factor in mobilizing movements.
As with most information we are
given there are usually two sides to every story. One side debates that social
media was an integral part of the Arab Spring and played a very large role.
“After analyzing over 3 million tweets, gigabytes of YouTube content and
thousands of blog posts, a new study finds that social media played a central
role in shaping political debates in the Arab Spring. Conversations about revolution often preceded
major events on the ground, and social media carried inspiring stories of protest
across international borders” (Ictlogy.net).
The other side debates that the
events would have occurred regardless of whether or not there was any social
media. “On more than one occasion while interviewing, I was reminded that there
had been no social media at the end of the 1980s during the uprising in
Tiannamen Square, in Central and Eastern Europe over the next couple of years
and in numerous other uprisings. These revolutions had varying levels of
success. But there is little evidence that their cause, or success or failure,
was directly linked to communication technologies. I’ll leave the last word to
one of the interviewees, who simply said: ‘Only one thing makes revolutions:
people’” (NATO Review).
The use of Facebook increased in
the Arab region between January and April and sometimes more than doubled. “Overall,
the number of users jumped by 30 per cent to 27.7m, compared with 18 per cent
growth during the same period in 2010. In the past year, the number of users
has nearly doubled from 14.8m. Egypt saw 29 per cent growth compared to 12 per
cent last year. Tunisia had 17 per cent growth compared to 10 per cent last
year. The exception was Libya, where usage fell by 76 per cent. One possible
reason is that many there have fled amidst fierce fighting between the regime
and rebels” (Huang – The National).
Besides Facebook, there were other
social media sources that had an impact on the Arab Spring as well. “Television,
specifically the constant live coverage by Al Jazeera and the sporadic live
coverage by BBC News and others, was highly important for the 2011 Egyptian
Revolution as the cameras provided exposure and prevented mass violence by the
Egyptian government in Tahrir Square, as opposed to the lack of such live
coverage and the more widespread violence in Libya” (Owen – International Journal
of Baudrillard Studies). Being able to focus demonstrations in a single area
and be covered live was Fundamental in Egypt, but not possible in Libya.
The influx of social media usage
indicates the kind of people that were essentially powering the Arab Spring. “The
younger generation, those in their twenties and thirties, were divided into two
broad factions. One was the progressive youth who took part in the demonstrations
from day one. They blog and are keen to engage with different aspects of civil
society…” (Warren 123). Young people fueled the revolts of the various Arab
countries by using the new generation’s abilities of social networking to
release the word of uprising.
What I believe it comes down to is
that the Arab Spring would happen regardless whether or not there was social
media, but social media did play a big part. It allowed people to learn and
witness events that happened on the ground if they could not be there
themselves. Social media may not have started the Arab Spring, and it probably
won’t end it. But it played a huge part in the middle, allowing people to gain
information and keeping them out of the dark.
Works Cited
Anonymous (2011).
[<http://www.nato.int/docu/review/2011/social_medias/EN/index.htm>.
"Social Media: Power to The People?"]. NATO Review Magazine. NATO
Review Magazine. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
Hearns-Branaman, Jesse Owen (2012),
'The Egyptian Revolution did not take place: On live television coverage by Al
Jazeera English', International Journal of Baudrillard Studies Vol 9, no 1
McCann, Colum (23 December 2011).
"YEAR IN PICTURES: Arab Spring". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 May
2012.
Noueihed, Lin, and Alex Warren. The
Battle for the Arab Spring: Revolution, Counter-revolution and the Making of a
New Era. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 2012. Print.
“Opening Closed Regimes: What Was
the Role of Social Media During the Arab Spring?". Ictlogy.net.
2012-05-22. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
Salem, Fadi, Mourtada. "Civil
Movements: The Impact of Facebook and Twitter". Dubai School of
Government. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
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