Document details

Social Media and Social Change in Jordan: Opportunities and Threats

Tokyo: Toda Peace Institute (2019), 10 pp.

Series: Policy Brief, 57

"The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has great humanitarian responsibilities towards a war-torn region. Deliberately referred to as a regional entrepreneurship hub, over eight million of Jordan’s citizens (86.4%) have access to the internet, and they produce more than half of the digital content available online in the Arabic language. As Jordanians navigate together through an ongoing humanitarian, economic and political crisis, the mainstream social media platforms to which they are active contributors, such as Twitter and Facebook, with the latter being the top app in the country, are turning into interactive spaces critical for public debate and socio-political transformation. The uses of mainstream social media include coping with the consequences of war, displacement, and the identity negotiations of a young nation. This policy brief identifies gaps and opportunities uncovered by the current programmes offered by organisations aiming at serving groups such as disadvantaged Jordanians and refugees. Overall, the country’s social media landscape reveals underlying societal tensions, collective concerns, and hopes for progress, equity and stability. This policy brief analyses social media impacts on the Jordanian society in 2018-2019." (Overview)
Trending Hashtags: The Pulse of the Public Opinion? -- Evening Power Distribution -- Crisis Relief -- Online Community Support Groups -- Cyberbullying, Harassment and National Values -- Hate Speech -- Extremist Recruitment -- Fake News -- Mapping Responses to Social Media Threats and Opportunities -- Recommendations