Reza Jamali Online Arab Spring: Social media and fundamental change.

Abstract

What is missing in the Arabic revolution is a perception of the complicated nature of the mass media, how to find reliable sources of news, how to analyse news from different sources and how to achieve an analytical result. Consequently, these countries still suffer from unrest even after the victory of the revolution. Previous chapters have highlighted the headless nature of the network revolution as an advantage, and here we put emphasis on the advantages of having a wise leader with media literacy who, if not absent, could lead the Arab revolutions back on track. The advantages of modern technologies and above all the Internet and social networks enable them to take a unique role in various aspects of people’s lives, even in launching opposition movements. Riots, however, cannot be interpreted as if the technology can provide an answer for all problems. The sudden growth of media literacy regarding social media is far beyond reasonable expectation among the Arab people who have received no education in media literacy and critical thinking in their national education systems. This chapter addresses these paradoxes. Another point discussed here is the role of the state-run mass media in the Arab dictatorships, preventing the development of media literacy in Arab nations.