The effects of social media on revolutions perspectives. That seems to be one of the takeaways of david fariss book dissent and revolution in a digital age. Social media use evolving in egypt middle east news and. Networks formed online were crucial in organizing a core group of activists, specifically in egypt. It asks whether social media networks lose out in turn as agents of mobilization to the political organizations that sprung up in the transition phase. Apr 16, 2016 a hero of the egyptian revolution laments the limits of social media and hopes to improve online dialogue. Development of the role of media in egypt before and after the revolution can be divided into three stages. Data collection began shortly after the tunisian revolution apparently a significant influence on the egyptian revolution, when we first became aware that largescale protests were being organized in egypt. Social media indeed played a part in the arab uprisings.
It has created a new era of social activism where the powerless can finally be heard, be part of government policies and have a. This article seeks to open dialogue about the utility of resource mobilization theory in explaining social movements and their impact by exploring the use of social media in the 2011 egyptian revolution through a limited case study analysis. The egyptian revolution, aljazeera, twitter and facebook the. The role of social media in the 2011 egyptian revolution shingo hamanaka1 abstract the egyptian uprising in january 2011, widely known as the january 25 revolution, was initially claimed to have been caused by the internet. I examined the events that led to the arab spring and how they were shaped by social media as well as the egyptian revolution, that some claim to be a facebook revolution. How social media undermined egypts democratic transition a shop in tahrir square is spraypainted after the government shut off internet access during the 2011 uprisings. We follow events through the period leading up to the 2011 revolution, eighteen days of uprising, military rule, an elected. How social media networked the egyptian revolution. An article in the magazine wired states that social media did not cause the egypt revolution.
Pdf social media evolution of the egyptian revolution. This is due in a large extent, though, to the mubarak regimes relative indifference to social media. But its now become part of the standard repertoire of. Without a doubt social media played an instrumental role in the success of the antigovernment. Taken in this light, egypt s protests as social movements can be identified as networks of people gathered together for a common goal.
Instead, social media acted as a catalyst for revolution, as in the case of egypt, where the existing gap between the ruling elite and the rest of the population would eventually have resulted in some kind of uprising. Jan 26, 2014 without the internet and social media, the egyptian revolutionaries would not have found their start, their leader, and their means of exposing the injustice taking place in their country. Seth doane reports on a social revolution brought on by social. Social media played an undeniably important role during the arab spring revolutions in 2011. Building on this foundation, this essay will prove that social media platforms were the major catalysts for social change in egypt. Egypt features a media landscape which has witnessed many changes since the january 25 revolution in 2011.
Exactly what role did social media play in the egyptian. An examination of the egyptian revolution will reveal a similar bias, after which i will return to the analytical question in the last section. The arab spring social media in the egyptian revolution. Television is still the main popular medium but digital media have witnessed a remarkable growth, and many media entities started to modify their traditional business models to gain higher reach. Movement actors fought for democratic advances, political freedoms and equality. Last friday, internet access was cut off and mobile phone service was severely disrupted in egypt, according to news reports. View this essay on egyptian revolution gender women social media. Yet the work towards an effective transition to democratic government within egypt has just begun. Social media has now posed a huge threat to the government and despite of the huge financial loss to the economy, the government saw a great urgency in shutting. For the first time, people from geographically dispersed locations, without personal connections to the region, had a front row seat at the revolution. While there is no doubt that facebook and twitter contributed significantly to the course of events, its role can only be understood when put into a broader technological and historical context.
If journalism is the rough draft of history, in this fastmoving era it may already be time to settle the question of the internets role in the egyptian revolt. Rather, social media was a conduit for expanding outside interest. Facebook group in his name, which is discussed in the following section. Exactly what role did social media play in the egyptian revolution. Egyptian revolution gender women social media essay 1049. This was an initiative from the egyptian armed forces to keep an open channel ofcommunication with the egyptians on facebook, to get direct feedback from the peopleon anything. Pdf the role of social media in the 2011 egyptian revolution. It also analyzes the use of social media in different types of protests. The role of social media one year after the egyptian revolution. Spring revolutions would have even happened in the absence of social. Beginning in december 2010, unprecedented mass demonstrations against poverty, corruption, and political repression broke out in several arab countries, challenging the authority of some of the most entrenched regimes in the middle east and north africa. Rather, twitter and facebook were more like a spark and an accelerant, catalyzing prodemocracy. The egyptian uprising in january 2011, widely known as the january 25 revolution, was initially claimed to have been caused by the internet. Usips sheldon himelfarb discusses the role of social media in egypt s protests, and how it compares to other recent mediaconnected movements.
Civil society leaders in arab countries emphasized the role of the internet, mobile phones, and social media. Essentially, they have become excellent tools for activists. The egyptian revolution proves that the internet can strengthen national identities, which in turn can unify people in new ways. The arab spring has been titled as social media revolution. However, the relationship between social media and participation in the antiregime demonstrations is contested and opaque. Social media applications such as twitter, facebook and youtube hold the dynamic power to manipulate, control, inform and motivate. Several politically motivated events also co ntributed to the egyptian revolution. Amongst fear of the situation developing further, the government blocked internet access from egypt for five days. The influence of social media in egypt during the arab spring nicole reed. The role of social media in the 2011 egyptian revolution. By and large, according to ashley and olson 1998, news media play an important role in the life and death of social movements via. Jun 01, 2016 this article will highlight the shift from traditional activism to digital activism by using the egyptian revolution as a specific example, examining the role social media had in planning the protests, how it was used during the protests and governments attempt to control information by shutting the internet down.
Could egypts experience of internet activism leading to revolution serve as a model for social movements everywhere. Social media sparked, accelerated egypts revolutionary. In this fastpaced time it is appropriate to point out the internets role in the egyptian revolution. Social media and the egyptian revolution free essays. Google executive wael ghonim and his facebook page are credited for helping spark the egyptian protests. This presentation is an informal discussion of some use of social media in the egyptian revolution jan.
Seth doane reports on a social revolution brought on by social networking. However, while the use of social media by egyptians received much focus, and activists themselves pointed towards it as the key to their success, social media did not constitute the revolution itself, nor did it. Pdf more than 800000 tweets on topics related to the egyptian revolution were studied. The bruta l beating continued outside until said died o n the street. The current wave of cynicism with the egyptian revolution and its outcomes has induced.
The impact of social media in the egyptian revolution, 2011 abstract the proliferation of the internet has enabled several platforms for exchange of information, communication and collaboration. Social media, blogging and activism in egypt which offers a detailed case study of egyptian media activism from 2005 to. The influence of social media in egypt during the arab spring. Mar 02, 2011 this presentation is an informal discussion of some use of social media in the egyptian revolution jan. The official page of the supreme council of the egyptian armed forces.
Social media and the egyptian revolution essay example. The january 25th revolution in egypt was an incredible achievement by its people and a truly inspiring example of the power of peaceful protest. All logos displayed are property of their respective trademark and holders. Social media in egypts transition period yosra abdel. Social media and the egyptian revolution peace magazine. The question then remains, why has this revolution been presented as a primarily middleclass revolution, based in the social media. While some analysts said social media like twitter and facebook were not critical to the revolution,4 others, including a number of activists on the scene, credit social media with helping the movement. Persons who communicate through the social media take on a virtual identity that is an extension of their realitybased identity. A third of egypt s population are daily internet users and social media usage has increased notably since 2011, particularly in light of its perceived role in egypt s uprising.
Cairo, may 15 20 ips more than two years after social media networks helped egyptian activists organise massive street protests that led to the fall of former president hosni mubarak, these networks are now playing a less positive role, often serving as a platform for incitement, rumourmongering and downright disinformation. Usips sheldon himelfarb discusses the role of social media in egypt s protests, and how it compares to other recent media connected movements. Usips sheldon himelfarb discusses the role of social media in egypts protests, and how it compares to other recent mediaconnected movements. In doing this, we must consider the leading role of a. Social media and the egyptian revolution essay january 2011 marked the beginning of peaceful protests and movement demonstrations staged by citizens throughout egypt. Revolution and overthrowing the regime, which shows the significance of social media in the process of political change and revolutionary action. The impact of social media on the egyptian revolution 2011. However, the relationship between social media and participation in the antiregime demonstrations is. What we would like to address here however, is the part the social media played in the aftermath and try to answer a few of the open questions we had in our last years post, the erevolution. While some analysts said social media like twitter and facebook were not critical to the revolution,4 others, including a number of activists on the scene, credit social media. Scribd is the worlds largest social reading and publishing site. The role of social media in the egyptian revolution. The story of an uprising examines the political and media dynamic in pre and postrevolution egypt and what it could mean for the countrys democratic transition. How an egyptian revolution began on facebook the new.
Samuel s0766 june 19, 2012 the egyptian revolution, aljazeera, twitter and facebook the interaction effect of new media on the egyptian revolution. Social media in egypts transition period schools american. It has been a year since the start of jan 25 th 2011 egyptian revolution, many events took place during that past year, good and bad. Feb 24, 2011 this is a report showcasing the power of social media in driving the occurrence of the egyptian revolution as it counts as one of the greatest in egypt. The memory of the egyptian revolution is the only weapon we have left. A discourse analysis of the media representation of social. This paper seeks to describe and assess specifically the relationship between social media and the egyptian revolution.
Social media tools are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and. While many in egypt had limited, if any, access to social media, for those outside of egypt, social media enabled them to gather, curate and distribute news as it unfolded. Twitter sentiment was revealed, along with popularity of egyptrelated subjects and tweeter influence on the 2011 revolution. The medium allows individuals to unify around ideas without revealing their own location. Pdf this article seeks to open dialogue about the utility of resource mobilization theory in explaining social movements and their impact by. May 29, 2012 social media applications such as twitter, facebook and youtube hold the dynamic power to manipulate, control, inform and motivate. Therefore, panelist parvez sharma was concerned that the egyptian revolution be named a peoples revolution, not a social media revolution, since only a handful of egyptians tweeted andor used facebook to share information. Since then egypt has been a republic, and until the revolution of 2011, was ruled by president hosni. Social media sparking the egyptian revolution in 2011.
Social media has been a main focal point when discussing political uprising in our time. How social media undermined egypts democratic transition. As a consequence, the revolution succeeded in the resignation of mubarak in february 11, ending the dictatorship that lasted for over three decades. In postrevolution egypt, social media shows dark side. The egyptian popular insurrection and the internet does an excellent job of discussing the impact that social media has had on various political and social revolutions in egypt and elsewhere. The media representation is deterministic as to the role of social media in the egyptian revolution and political transformation, i. Abdullas research interests include the uses and effects of new media, particularly the internet, the link between social media and political activism, and public service broadcasting. The role of social media in the arab uprisings pew. Meanwhile a debate continues to rage in the blogosphere as to the exact role played by social media. The effect of social media on the platform users have been strong enough to foster some real action that the entire world has witnessed already on the egyptian ground. Social media evolution of the egyptian revolution catchall site. Kefaya kefaya means enough is the unofficial moniker of the egyptian movement for change, a grassroots coalition that started in 2004 and drew its support from across egypt s political spectrum to oppose mubaraks presidency and the possibility he might seek to transfer power directly to his son.
The textual analysis is supported by two sets of surveys that target egyptian activists and journalists to explore their insights about their relationship during the egyptian revolution and its aftermath. To begin, social media, or more precisely twitter and facebook, defined and formed the. The open society foundations note that egypt s registered facebook users increased from 4. The study was aimed to find how sentiment evolved in response. Aug 06, 2015 at the same time, it is reasonable to say that the egyptian revolution would not have happened as it did, in the way it did, at the time it did, without digital technology. Social media in egypts transition period yosra abdel sattar. The egyptian revolution which toppled the president hosni mubarak not only captured worldwide attention, but it urged upon the national and international media to follow the events as well. However, the relationship between social media and. The stages experienced by the media environment in egypt before and after the jan.
Social media in 20112012 egyptian revolution youtube. Social media evolution of the egyptian revolution article pdf available in communications of the acm 555. Mubarak who had attempted to reform egypts slow economy. In the embryonic, ever evolving era of social media when milestones come by the day, if not by the second june 8, 2010, has secured a rightful place in history. The thesis has analyzed the role and impact of social media in the egyptian revolution. This study will focus on the egyptian revolution, the reasons behind it, its path and mechanisms, its uniqueness and immediate consequences, and finally the prospects of future scenarios. Throughout the paper the thesis has expanded and examined the role of the lnternet as a vital instrument that was used during the arab spring, especially in egypt, and how it facilitated the revolution. Social media and the egyptian revolution essay 1840 words. The impact of social media in egypt united states institute. Masry alyoum, with touching upon the egyptian media system on one hand, and about the telegraph and the. In this paper i researched the influence that social media had in egypt during the arab spring. Reconsidering resource mobilization theory this article seeks to open dialogue about the utility of resource mobilization theory in explaining social movements and their impact by exploring the use of social media in the 2011 egyptian revolution through a limited case study analysis. If three decades of violent repression and despotic rule were kindling for the egyptian revolution, social media was both a spark and an accelerant for the movement.
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