Twitter Use Drops in Middle East - Study

Doha, May 04 (QNA) - Amid concerns about online privacy, social media use in the Middle East is shifting away from Twitter and Facebook and toward direct-messaging platforms such as Snapchat and WhatsApp. According to a study released today by Northwestern University in Qatar, in partnership with Doha Film Institute, video-centric Snapchat is now among the most popular platforms in the high-bandwidth Gulf countries. The study also sheds new light on the shift from TV to online video. Daily TV viewing dropped in Egypt (by 7% points), Saudi Arabia (16% points) and Qatar (21% points), but television remains the platform of choice in the Middle East for watching films 90% say they watch films on TV. While most in the region now watch film and video online, fewer than 5% have paid money to do so in the past year. The comprehensive annual survey examines the use of and attitudes toward media among 6,058 adults (4,529 nationals) in Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. It includes several categories of inquiry: cultural attitudes, censorship, regulation and online surveillance, online and social media, film, TV, music, games, sports, news, and children's media, and is supported by a Qatar National Research Foundation NPRP grant. Dean and CEO of NU-Q, Everette E. Dennis said, "This survey provides significant insight into the ways in which media and entertainment is consumed across the Middle East, revealing cultural and political attitudes of the Arab world. As the concept of media continues to change in this ever-connected digital world, our survey provides insight into how people are connecting and interacting today." CEO of Doha Film Institute Fatma Al Remaihi said, "The Pan-Arab media industry is growing faster than the economy, at about 19 percent per year with both online and offline channels experiencing rapid expansion. This collaborative study provides a unique and valuable insight into the mindset of these regions most important demographic: its young people. The findings also highlight the tremendous potential for growth of new media channels, as Middle Eastern governments move their economies away from dependence on natural resources to developing knowledge-based economies, and media in particular is a priority sector." The region is divided on whose responsibility it is to block objectionable content. More nationals in Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia believe it is the responsibility of governments to block objectionable content, while majorities in the UAE, Lebanon, and Tunisia believe it is the responsibility of the individual to avoid such content. The most evenly divided country is Saudi Arabia, where 50% believe responsibility lies with the government and 43% believe it lies with the individual. The biggest disparity is in Egypt, where only 30% believe it is the responsibility of the individual, compared to 66% who believe it is the responsibility of the government to block objectionable content. (QNA)