Loading ...Sponsored Post: The Role of Technology in Changing the Arab Culture
Western assessments often suggest that the emergence of satellite television broadcasting, the Internet, and other new media in the Middle East will profoundly change the political and social realities of the region. Such predictions may underestimate the important role played by trust in Middle Eastern societies, where traditional state control of the information media has often meant that more reliance is placed on oral and unofficial means of communication, in the mosque, the coffeehouse, or the marketplace. Technology continues to evolve and will become a larger part of life even in the conservative societies of the Arab world. Let’s discuss the role of technology in Arab culture.
Technology is increasingly penetrating society
The MENA region, known for its limited affluent economies, experiences significant growth in ICT (information and communication technologies), particularly mobile phones, which play a crucial role in communication and interaction. These technologies are no longer exclusive to the wealthy; in fact, they are becoming increasingly common in low-income countries. The accessibility of diverse ICTs brings new opportunities for information exchange and communication but also poses challenges to the hierarchical social order prevalent in many MENA societies.
The expansion of social networking, exemplified by the introduction of Facebook in Arabic in 2009, presents a challenge to governments attempting to restrict networking activities and their role in organizing opposition. The recent uprisings and democracy movements in several MENA countries, including Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Syria, demonstrate the significant influence of information and communication technologies as tools for organization and mobilization during times of social protest and unrest. The Arab Spring itself serves as an exemplar of the Internet transitioning to a phase of contested access (Palfrey 2010) after experiencing reduced scrutiny in the past.
The MENA countries’ utilization of ICT reveals its potential in organizing social and political actions by individuals. Additionally, it highlights the state’s response and involvement in regulating ICT use. This argument suggests that while ICT facilitates democratic movements, it is also subjected to government controls and interventions, aiming to restrict public expression. Governments perceive ICT as both a challenge and an opportunity. Therefore, this paper will assess the state of ICT infrastructure in the Middle East/North Africa region. Subsequently, it will discuss the utilization of ICT during the Arab Spring movements and explore the implications of its role.
With the arrival of technology in the conservative Arab world comes concerns not only about dissent but also about security. Everyone on the Internet is equally vulnerable and protected. The whole world is now using VPN features to protect themselves from cyber threats. Priority is given to VPN without logs and technically advanced protection tools against hackers. Everyone can use them, but you need to find out about it since it’s impossible to guess on your own. The integration of technology into society must be accompanied by technical support, then the risks will be minimal.
Concerns about technology integration in Arab countries
Protests in the Middle East/North Africa region highlight the connection between dissent and information technology. However, it is important to exercise caution when attributing causality or excessive power to technology alone.
The encompassing countries extended by the Arab Spring from the western region of Morocco to the eastern region of Iraq. These countries share common concerns among their residents regarding employment, economic well-being, limited access to information, and restricted freedom of speech. The population in these countries varies from less than one million in Bahrain and Qatar to over twenty million in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen, with Egypt hosting almost eighty million people. The wealth disparities are particularly striking, ranging from affluent oil-rich states like Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (including Dubai and Abu Dhabi) to low-income countries such as Jordan, Syria, and Yemen, where average incomes are just a fraction of those in the most prosperous Middle Eastern countries. As per the United Nations Human Development Index, countries such as Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain are considered advanced, while the remaining countries are classified as having medium or low levels of development.
Conclusion
Technology will continue to be adopted even in the most closed communities as it has become available to the masses. Will this cause public outrage? Sometimes yes, but technology is not evil. It simply gives people the opportunity to better interact with each other and forces the authorities to respond to the mood in society. What is usually not talked about becomes a topic of conversation on the Internet. Times are changing, technology is just a tool and can be used for good.
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