‘We Will Close Down Twitter’: Erdogan’s Attempt Fails
JUAN COLE: Let it be a warning to dictators around the world – a clumsy attempt to shut down Twitter in Turkey back-fires.
Social Media Defeating Saudi ‘War on Pornography’
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The authorities in the Kingdom admit that they’re fighting a losing battle to stem a flood of pornography
#RumorControlLibya: Authorities Try to Seize Initiative
MAROUANE BAKIT, CGNEWS: Rumor is the new currency in post-revolutionary Libya. Its effects are widespread and damaging.
Faking News: It’s All Too Easy In The Digital Age
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The practice is as old as news itself but faking news has become a lot easier with new technology
Tweet Your Way Into Trouble: Social Media Dilemma
ALEXANDER MCNABB: We have these incredibly powerful technologies which allow us to broadcast to the world as soon as a thought enters our head.
Social Media: Looking Beyond Religion
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Too many people try to understand the Arab world by focusing solely on religion. That’s clearly important, but it’s not the whole story…
LinkedIn and Me: It’s A Complicated Relationship
STEVE ROYSTON: I don’t like being manipulated by a software engine but that’s the price you pay to remain, well, linked in.
The Fear Business: Listening & Speaking Break Cycle
ARIEL KATZ, CGNEWS: It’s much easier to attack ‘the other’ when you don’t hear their stories and don’t see their pain.
How To Be A Real Middle East Entrepreneur
NASEEM TARAWNAH: It’s not about spinning logos, Facebook likes or fancy events – real entrepreneurship is about engagement.
#MuslimVote: The Hashtag That Changed U.S Politics
MEHRUNISA QAYYUM, CGNEWS: Analysis has revealed that Muslims played a key role in swing states in the recent U.S presidential elections
‘Major Boost’ for Moroccan English Language Media
THE VIEW FROM FEZ: The story of English language media in Morocco is not a happy one. The arrival of a new title though is cause for hope
‘Speaker’s Corner in the Gulf?’: No Chance!
STEVE ROYSTON: The ‘Red Lines’ exist and any expatriate who’s spent more than a couple of years living in the Gulf knows what they are.
Your Prejudices About Saudi Arabia: Time for Overhaul
STEVE ROYSTON: Say the words ‘Saudi Arabia’ to someone who has never been there and the results are as predictable as could be.
‘Ethical Code of the Hunter’: Not Applicable To Gaza
MAI ABDUL RAHMAN: There are so many agendas at play in Gaza today but one of them undeniably is the opportunity to showcase – and sell – weapons.
‘Reprehensible’ Media Coverage of Gaza Attack
MONDOWEISS: The coverage of the Gaza attack by mainstream media has invoked the outrage of leading academics and commentators on Middle East affairs
‘Energy’, ‘Endeavour’ and ‘Creativity’: Women of Palestine
MORGAN MCDANIEL, CGNEWS: Palestinian women are finding creative ways to engage both socially and economically in the face of many restrictions.
The ‘Educational Revolution’ That Is Transforming Saudi Arabia
ROB L. WAGNER: Free education overseas for Saudi nationals is having a massive effect on Saudi society.
‘Civil Initiatives’ vs ‘Politics’: Lebanese Youth Decide
NADA AKL, CGNEWS: Many young Lebanese people from all sides are disillusioned with sectarianism and violence. The recent bomb proved a catalyst for change
Beirut Bomb: ‘Mainstream Media’ Becomes Social Media
ALEXANDER MCNABB: It’s the first time I’ve witnessed the so-called established media diving head first into the social media whirl. It sets a dangerous precedent.
Facebook’s Terrorist “Honey Traps”: Beware Attractive Women
TBIJ: As the fight against terrorism moves from the real battlefield to the cyber battlefield a whole new array of issues are going to have to be managed.
