What political power do videos on social media have? In what ways do they exert influence shape publics and change political life? And how can committed civil society actors in this field assert themselves against hegemonic discourses commercial interests anti-democratic agitation and authoritarian propaganda? These questions are being debated intensely as social media increasingly dominate global information flows and videos increasingly dominate social media.



Understanding video activism seems particularly relevant at a time when the internet is undergoing fundamental disruptions. The forms practices and opportunities of activism depend on its media environment which now is changing rapidly and profoundly in terms of its technological basis ownership legal regulations and governmental control.

Language and gender have a strong connection especially in a social context. This study examines register in Arabic by looking at the language used by male and female teachers who utilize the YouTube media platform to provide basic Arabic tutorials. From these videos the language characteristics of male and female Arabic language teachers can be observed in terms of gender. In general this study investigates the registers of male and female Arabic language teachers. Specifically it elaborates on the significant differences between the language used by male and female Arabic language teachers based on a register analysis. The research question is thus divided into two: (1) what is the typical character of male teachers and female teachers of Arabic on YouTube channels; (2) how do male and female Arabic teachers use register on YouTube channels. The method used in this research can be divided into three stages. The first stage was the data collection which was carried out by viewing and observing Arabic language learning videos uploaded onto YouTube channels by male and female teachers. The second stage was the data analysis which used the model of Miles and Huberman consisting of data reduction data display and data conclusion. The final stage was the reporting of the results using illustrative quotes in the form of descriptions and narratives related to the language registers of male and female teachers in terms of a sociolinguistic study. The gender-based language characteristics can be identified from aspects of gesture word choice greeting pronunciation and the mention of personal names. This research contributes to the development of the study of language learning in terms of gender based on an online social media platform.

This cross-national study draws from the GPDS framework to explore the outreach strategies of two environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) – one in Ohio United States and the other in Paraná Brazil. The study examined and compared ENGOs’ targeted communication practices and their efforts to engage with racial/ethnic and socio-economic minorities within charged political climates. Semi-structured qualitative interview results with ENGO employees and board members show similarities in public outreach strategies challenges operating in politically charged environments and intentions to address the needs of low socio-economic and minority members of local communities. Many of the communication strategies described as being used by participants correspond to the social marketing theory (SMT) framework. However ENGO employees reported low levels of confidence in effectively engaging their audience mostly due to lack of strategic communication training and resources.

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the global discourse on the hijab on Instagram a key platform for cultural and fashion expressions. Employing a mixed-methods approach it examines a dataset of 100000 Instagram posts to explore representations and discussions of the hijab in online communities. The study includes temporal analysis of discourse evolution text classification of narratives using advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques like topic modelling and sentiment analysis and network analysis of community interactions. Key findings reveal the multifaceted nature of the hijab discourse encompassing themes of fashion religion and community. The temporal analysis uncovers peaks in hijab-related posts from October 2021 onwards and between May and July 2022 coinciding with Islamic events and the rise of modest fashion. Sentiment analysis indicates a generally positive and neutral perception of the hijab while emotion analysis highlights joy anticipation and trust as dominant emotions. Text classification identifies five main topics: hijab styles and fashion sizing and shipping colours and product types religion and spirituality and product orders. Network analysis visualizes the interconnected nature of these themes and communities. The study makes original contributions by shedding light on the ‘hijabista’ phenomenon representing Muslim women who blend fashion with modesty on Instagram and by demonstrating Instagram’s role in shaping contemporary hijab discourse related to identity empowerment and cultural representation. The findings enhance understanding of social media’s impact on cultural discourses and offer valuable insights into the social and cultural implications of these online narratives for scholars businesses and policy-makers.

The twenty-first century saw the rapid rise of new media increasing its share within the media mix and becoming a crucial platform for democratic debate and cultural consumption. Meanwhile provisions related to the media in the European Charter for Regional or Minority languages merely refer to traditional forms of media. This article tries to answer the question whether the Charter with its unchanged provisions can continue to fulfil its function of protecting endangered languages integrating the different forms of new media for the fulfilment member states’ obligations. Based on an analysis of the most recent monitoring reports of the Charter’s Committee of Experts this research arrives at the conclusion that the Charter is indeed fit for the digital age with both traditional and new media coming to play an important role in protecting and promoting minority and regional languages.

This article explores Ava Homa’s novel Daughters of Smoke and Fire (2020) examining how the Islamic government of Iran has stifled religious and linguistic minorities within the constructed national identity. Amidst this context authors like Homa challenge the Aryan race as the foundation of Iranian national identity striving to carve out a diasporic space within Iranian–Canadian literature that embraces Iran’s marginalized ethnicities with a particular focus on Iranian–Kurdish identity.

Information and communication technology is reshaping the world faster than ever. In parallel with the growth of content production and publishing tools the volume of digital content has increased drastically. Malaysian authorities have established and authorized Content Forum to create a Content Code for imposing self-regulating standards on networked content. The Content Code served as the guiding principle for content creators in managing their content better. Industry players were early adopters of the Content Code. However there has not been a strong awareness of the Content Code amongst the public. This research aimed to provide insights into the extent concerning how Malaysians are empowered in making an informed selection when consuming content across multiple screens and platforms. Thus this research conducted focus group discussions and questionnaire distribution to fill this gap. The results showed that most people are aware of the Content Code but not in detail. Instead they have been selecting content intuitively based on their common sense and general knowledge. The findings of this study can provide insights to the authorities in increasing the awareness of Malaysians to exercise informed content selection when consuming networked content therefore increasing the welfare of internet users.

This research aims to provide a critical analysis of the portrayal of migrant workers and the Bedoon in the popular Kuwaiti TV series From Haram Street (Haram Street). The research methodology employs the use of a diasporic critique to explore to what extent have TV and popular culture as technologies of power allowed workers to submit to a certain degree of domination and how television reinforces this script of dominance. Using diasporic critique the author highlights how labour migrants are displaced in reality but framed differently through popular culture. The key findings indicate that the series provides a highly stereotypical portrayal of the Bedoon and migrant worker communities. The findings also indicate that the diasporic nature of these communities – that of migrant workers and that of the Bedoon – allows for a privileged and hegemonic rhetoric that excludes domestic workers and Bedoon communities. Along with providing an insight into the feminist vernacular discourse in present-day Kuwait Haram Street series also sets in motion hegemonic rhetorics meant to keep migrant workers and Bedoon communities disciplined and excluded through technologies of domination. Particular attention in this article is paid to how Haram Street shapes our understanding of the migrant workers’ and stateless individuals’ situation in Kuwait.

This research aims to explore how people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) use emojis on social media and the communicative functions of emojis including gender differences in assessing appropriateness. The study is based on in-depth interviews with fifteen participants representing different gender cultural and age groups. The interviewees include six males and nine females with an age range from 18 to 45 years. The findings emphasize the importance of diversity of perspectives and sensitivities when using emojis in communication raising questions about the role of emojis in reinforcing or challenging traditional gender norms within the UAE and how individuals navigate the intricate balance between self-expression and cultural norms in their digital interactions. Moreover ‘emotional emojis’ were favoured by participants from every generation apart from those in their 20s although the specific emojis that best expressed those emotions varied. The findings also indicate the use of emoji as a cultural barometer within the digital realm of the UAE. The nuances in emoji preferences usage frequencies and interpretations across different cultural groups particularly between Emirati and non-Emirati populations vividly portray how emojis mirror the complex tapestry of cultural identity and interaction. These emojis as digital symbols emerge as profound reflections of the rich cultural dynamics that shape the UAE’s digital landscape. This study adds to the body of research on digitized communication particularly in the Arab context and contributes to understanding how emojis are used to create meaning online.

This study investigates the correlation between the ‘false-self’ – the persona presented to the public that may not accurately reflect one’s true identity – and social anxiety among Generation Z Facebook users in Egypt. An integrated methodology approach was used to explore the connection between Facebook usage false self-presentation and social anxiety levels. Data were collected by administering a questionnaire targeting 420 Facebook users belonging to Egypt’s Generation Z demographic. The study findings demonstrate a strong positive correlation between higher Facebook usage intensity and false self-presentation. Furthermore false self-presentation was found to be positively correlated with social anxiety. Significant gender differences in self-congruence on Facebook were revealed supported by theories related to social norms and gender roles. These findings illustrate the potential influence of social media on gender identity and self-presentation underscoring the need to take gender differences into account when studying the effects of social media on mental health. Additionally significant differences in Facebook intensity and attachment between genders were revealed. This study adds to our understanding of the intricate relationship between social media use self-presentation and mental health outcomes among Generation Z by providing insight into the risks associated with false self-presentation and high Facebook usage intensity.