Document details

From a Refugee Perspective: Discourse of Arabic Speaking and Afghan Refugees and Migrants on Social Media from March to December 2016

UNHCR (2017), 46 pp.
"The main thing I really liked about this project is that UNHCR invested the resources for proper qualitative social media monitoring, as opposed to the purely quantitative analyses that we see so often and which rarely go beyond keyword counting. To complement the social media information, the team held focus group and other discussions with refugees who had arrived in Europe. Among other things, these discussion provided information on how the refugees and migrants are consuming and exchanging information [.] Monitoring the conversations on Facebook enabled the team to track trends, such as the rise and fall of prices that smugglers asked for different routes (see image). In addition, it provided fascinating insights into how smugglers are selling their services online. Among other things, the team found: More than 50 Facebook pages offer short-term accommodation in transit countries (mainly in Turkey); Over a hundred financial agents (sarafs) are present on Facebook. They not only keep the deposited smuggling fees as intermediaries between smuggler and client, but also manage financial transfers; Over 100 “asylum and immigration consultants” offer so-called “advice on asylum claims” and provide fake “proofs” of persecution; Occasionally up to 20 users will pretend to be “satisfied clients” posting messages of gratitude, or pictures to express their thanks, on certain smuggler pages. This usually occurs as a reaction to posts denouncing the irresponsibility or cruelty of smugglers; When business is booming, smugglers post vacancy notices as they are looking for additional staff on the ground, most often females. These vacancy notices contain very concrete requirements (language skills, experience with logistics and booking software etc.)." (http://sm4good.com/2017/05/10/fly-on-the-facebook-wall-how-unhcr-listened-to-refugees-on-social-media)
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, 10
Cross-References to Related UNHCR Studies, 13
PART 1: PASHTO AND DARI SPEAKING COMMUNITIES, 16
Relying on the narrative of smugglers -- Smuggling agents in Afghanistan -- Smuggling offers on the internet -- How the smuggling industry works -- Selling the European Dream -- Accommodation offers -- Smugglers pose as "legal advisors" for asylum -- Document fraud -- Smuggling versus trafficking -- Afghans on the move -- Discourse in and from Europe -- Integration: Personal problems are not shared -- Sentiment of Afghans in Europe 2016
PART 2: ARABIC SPEAKING COMMUNITIES, 27
Facebook is the market place for information exchange -- Smuggling Networks emerging within months -- Fluctuating Smuggling prices -- On the move -- Struggling with the mysteries of the European Asylum System -- Grappling with Integration -- Sentiment of Syrians and Iraqis in Europe 2016
ANNEX 1: Research on Communication and Migration Patterns Among Afghan Refugees and Migrants, 34
ANNEX 2: Research on Communication and Migration Patterns Among Arabic speaking Refugees and Migrants, 41