Digital Technology and the Arabic Movement on Social Networks

study of Counterdiscourse in Tunisian Facebookers’ Reactions to News of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022

Abstract

The exponential development of digital technology and information overload on the Internet, particularly on social networks, has given rise to a profusion of reactions in the form of comments produced by Internet users, whose identity remains problematic. These comments, often rapid and impulsive, reflect a diversity of opinions, emotions and perspectives. They contribute to the construction of a collective discourse that can sometimes run counter to the dominant media discourse, constituting what might be called a “counter-discourse”. In this article, we propose to study more specifically the reactions of Tunisian facebookers to news of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Our study focuses on the comments generated in reaction to the news broadcast on February 24, 2022 on the official page of the Tunisian radio station, Mosaïque FM. By analysing these comments, we aim to shed light on how the Arabic language transforms and adapts when used in a digital context. The main aim of our work is to capture the fluidity and dynamics of the Arabic language when used online, as well as the different registers and styles that can emerge in this context. We are also interested in how these comments contribute to the construction of an alternative discourse, sometimes challenging traditional media narratives and thus contributing to the diversification of voices and perspectives in the digital space.