Arab Social Media Report

Vol. 1, No. 1 January 2011

The Arab Social Media Report (ASMR), Facebook Usage:
Factors and Analysis
produced by the Dubai School of Government’s
Governance and Innovation Program, is the
first in a quarterly series that will highlight and
analyze usage trends of online social networking
across the Arab region. In its inaugural edition, 1. Introduction
the report analyzes data on Facebook users
The rapid rise of social media, driven by the past decade’s Internet boom1,
in all 22 Arab countries, in addition to Iran and
has brought with it promises of more participatory governance, civic
Israel. This is part of a larger research initiative
engagement, new social dynamics, a more inclusive civil society and a wealth
focusing on social engagement through ICT for
of opportunity for businesspersons and entrepreneurs. Today, social media
better policy in Arab states, which explores the
tools have become a staple in the everyday lives of many people, merging
use of social networking services in governance,
their online and offline experience, and becoming one of the main methods
entrepreneurship promotion and social inclusion.
of social connection and interaction around the world, whether between
The initiative also studies the potential of Web
individuals, or with businesses and governments. Facebook is arguably one
2.0 applications for increasing collaboration,
of the most popular social networking sites in the world, as highlighted by
knowledge sharing and innovation, both
Figure 1, in which a social map visualizing the Facebook interconnectivity
between and among government entities,
of “netizens” around the globe has resulted in a highly detailed new outline
citizens and the private sector.
of the world. As such, this inaugural report focuses on Facebook usage as
Toward this end, the Arab Social Media Report will the primary metric of social media usage. Future editions of the report will
aim to inform a better understanding of the impact expand coverage to other social networking platforms such as Twitter and
of social media on development and growth in LinkedIn.
the Arab region by exploring the following:
The past year has seen social media being used in a wide variety of ways in
• What are the penetration trends of social the Arab region, whether to rally people around social causes and political
networking services in the Arab region? campaigns, boost citizen journalism and civic participation, create a forum
What is the growth rate, and what is the for debate and interaction between governments and their communities,
demographic and gender breakdown? or to enhance innovation and collaboration within government. These tools
• What factors affect the adoption of these have also been viewed negatively and subverted, censored and exploited
platforms in different Arab countries (e.g., (Figure 2). It is repeatedly argued that this social media “revolution” is also
income, youth population, digital access, contributing to economic growth globally. Social networking businesses
Internet freedom, etc.)? are quickly climbing up the most successful companies list.2 Additionally,
such platforms and their “networks,” which connect more than 550 million
• What is the impact of these phenomena on
people globally, provide an infrastructure for thousands of start-ups, social
citizen engagement and social inclusion?
entrepreneurs and to explore their creative potential and build diverse
• What is the impact of the new social businesses and services for a steadily growing audience.3
networking dynamics on innovation and
entrepreneurship? 1
With around 30 percent of the world population embracing the Internet and a growth rate
close to 450 percent over that period.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36492&Cr=internet&Cr1=
This report, along with updated information, http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
charts and links to social networking ASMR 2
For example, Facebook alone is estimated to be a $50 billion dollar company, while Twitter
group pages are available at: is worth an estimated $3.7 billion.
www.ArabSocialMediaReport.com. http://www.economist.com/economist-asks/facebook_overvalued_50_billion?fsrc=scn/
fb/wl/ar/asks_facebookvalue,
For questions or media enquiries please direct http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704828104576021954210929460.html
emails to the authors at: socialmedia@dsg.ac.ae 3
For example, according to Facebook’s official statistics page to date more than 2.5 million
individuals have created applications developed via the Facebook platform alone, creating
thousands of jobs and massive growth potential.

Social networking tools have the potential to enhance citizen engagement in
the region, promote social inclusion and create opportunities for employment,
entrepreneurship and development.

Figure 1: A Visualization of Facebook Network Connections

Source: Facebook.com

According to research conducted by DSG’s Governance and Innovation program, the penetration of social networking
and Web 2.0 technologies is soaring in the Arab region. Demographically, the Arab region is a youthful one, where youth
between the ages of 15 and 29 make up around one-third of the population. With the exponential growth of online
social networking—particularly among this demographic, who will in the next few years become active citizens, potential
entrepreneurs and part of the government and private sector workforce—it is argued that social networking tools
have the potential to enhance citizen engagement in the region, promote social inclusion and create opportunities for
employment, entrepreneurship and development.

Figure 2: Selected Highlights of Social Media Usage in the Arab Region 2010

February April June September October December December
punishment after Facebook/

social media regualtions (6)

primary source of coverage
users provide critical input

Syria issues zero tolerance
on government’s proposed

and Information develops
policy on school corporal
Social medi a informs 1st

Saudi Ministry of Culture
Facebook in presidential

Sudanese election in 24

UAE lifts 5-year ban on
Lebanese social media

Social media becomes
e-transactions law (3)
Egyptians’ first use of

of Tunisia events (7)
YouTube videos (4)
campaigns (1)

Flicker (5)
years (2)

(1) http://news.egypt.com/en/201002179286/news/-egypt -news/egypt -facebook-campaign-for-baradei-presidency.html
(2) http://globalvoicesonIine.org/20I0/04/12/sudan-sudan-votes-after-24-years/
(3) http://opennet.net/blog/2010/06/stop-this-Iaw-internet-regulation-surveillance-and-voip-Iebanon
(4) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-111438882
(S) http://www.thenational.ae/business/technology/flickr-hopes-high-after-uae-lifts-five-year- ban
(6) http://www.info.gov.sa/electronicPublishing.aspx (in Arabic)
(7) http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/01/06/feature-02

2 Arab Social Media Report Vol. 1, No. 1

Social media or social networking tools are Internet-based applications that focus
on building social networks or social relations among people with shared interests
and/or activities. Social media sites essentially consist of a representation of each
user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. They
allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual
networks, in addition to a wider scope of applications with increasing global
impact on society and government.

On the regulatory side, some Arab countries are currently developing guidelines on the use of social media, whether by citizens
or governments. Saudi Arabia, for example, has recently issued a document outlining the laws and rules governing the licensing
and use of social networking tools and other forms of online publishing by citizens.4 Conversely, the UAE is in the process of
finalizing guidelines on social media usage by government entities. This document, developed by the General Information
Authority and the Dubai School of Government, highlights best practices and addresses both the benefits and risks of using
social networking tools, both in engaging with citizens and for inter-agency collaboration.
The civil movements in Tunisia and Egypt during December 2010 and January 2011 are a prime example of the growth and
shift in social media usage by citizens. The proportion of Tunisian citizens connected through Facebook, for example, (Facebook
penetration) increased by 8% during the first two weeks of January 2011. The type of usage also changed markedly, shifting from
being merely social in nature to becoming primarily political (Figure 3).5

Figure 3: Number of Facebook users in Tunisia (End-Nov. 2010 to mid-Jan. 2011)

2,200,000

2,000,000 1,970,200

1,800,000

1,791,420 1,820,880 1,820,880
1,600,000 1,768,200

1,400,000

1,200,000

1,000,000

800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

0
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5
The change to numbers of Egyptian Facebook users during January 2011 was not yet available for this edition of the report.

Facebook Usage: Factors and Analysis 3

On a global level, the UAE is the top Arab country in terms of Facebook penetration
as percentage of the population. It is also among the top 10 in the world, with a
Facebook penetration rate of 45%

2. Mapping Facebook Usage in the Arab World
This edition of the Arab Social Media Report focuses primarily on Facebook usage in the Arab region. As such, the number of
Facebook users in all 22 Arab countries, in addition to Iran and Israel, was collected periodically between April and December
2010, in the following age brackets—youth (15-29), and adults (30 and over)—as well as by gender, and correlated with
several factors, including digital access, gender gaps, youth population, and Internet freedom. Below are the findings:

2.1 Penetration and uptake6 Facebook in the Arab World: A Snapshot
• The total number of Facebook users in the Arab world stands at 21,361,863 (Dec. 2010), up from 11,978,300
(Jan. 2010), a 78% annual growth rate.
• At the end of 2010, the country average for Facebook user penetration in the Arab region was 5.94%.
• The UAE has the highest penetration rate in the Arab region, with more than 45% of the population having
Facebook accounts.
• GCC countries dominate the top five Arab FB users as percentage of population, with Lebanon being the
only exception.
• With around 4.7 million Facebook users, Egypt constitutes about 22% of total users in the Arab region.
• Youth (between the ages of 15 and 29) make up 75% of Facebook users in the Arab region.
• Gender breakdown of Facebook users indicates an average 2:1 ratio of male to female users in the Arab
region, compared to almost 1:1 globally.

On a global level, the UAE is the top Arab country in terms of Facebook penetration as percentage of the population.
It is also among the top 10 in the world, with a Facebook penetration rate of 45% (Figure 4). Penetration is calculated
by dividing the number of Facebook users by country population (based on ILO statistics). However, official population
numbers have been recently obtained for GCC countries. The variation in Facebook penetration according to these figures
is highlighted in the figures and tables below.

Figure 4: Top 10 Countries by Facebook Penetration (Dec. 2010)

70.00 66.56

60.00
52.38 51.01 50.76 50.40
50.00 48.08 46.22 45.92 45.38 44.92
40.00

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For all charts in the report, the numbers of Facebook users in Syria, Sudan and Iran are estimates, while the numbers for remaining countries were
compiled from official Facebook data. Refer to the Annex for details.


Moreover, when comparing the uptake of Facebook in Arab countries with that in some of the “Top 20“ countries (in terms of
Facebook penetration worldwide), several Arab countries outpace the Top 20 in terms of new users acquired throughout 2010
as percentage of population. By the end of 2010, the UAE and Qatar, for example, had acquired 17.2% and 14.7% new users
respectively as a percentage of their country populations (while in Israel, Facebook acquired 18.4%), compared with the US (11.9%)
and Canada (10.15%), for example, two other countries with among the highest Facebook penetration rates in the world (Figure 5).

Figure 5: New Facebook Users in 2010 as Percentage of Population

100% Other
3.09%
90% 12.37% Entertainment and
80% social uses Connect
70% with friends, games etc.
30.93%
60%
50%
40% 24.05%
30%
20%
10% 29.55%

0%
In your opinion, the main usage of Facebook during the civil
movements and events in early 2011 in Egypt was to:

When comparing the uptake of Facebook in Arab countries with that in some of
the “Top 20“ countries (in terms of Facebook penetration worldwide), several Arab
countries outpace the Top 20 in terms of new users acquired throughout 2010

On a regional level7, the Arab countries can be divided into three groups according to their rates of Facebook penetration
(Figure 6).

Figure 6: Facebook User Penetration in the Arab Region plus Iran and Israel (Dec. 2010)

50.00
45.38
42.93
40.00 Top performers
33.95
34.27
Emerging countries
30.00
Developing users 23.11
20.64
20.00
17.06 17.55
12.24
10.76
10.00
5.24 5.49 7.55 7.55
3.74 3.99
0.08 0.17 0.74 0.74 0.90 1.07 1.19 1.26
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7
Israel and Iran are also included for comparative purposes in this report, as Middle Eastern countries that share certain socioeconomic and geopolitical
characteristics with many Arab countries.


1. Top performers: These countries’ Facebook user penetration rates are on par with the Top 20 countries in the world,
indicating a pervasive use of Facebook in their societies. (Facebook penetration ranging from 30%-45%)
2. Emerging countries: These countries’ Facebook user penetration ranges from 10%-25%, indicating a medium
penetration of Facebook users.
3. Developing users: These countries have low rates of Facebook user penetration, ranging from less than 1% to just
under 8%, indicating room for growth.
Table 1 and Figure 7 also highlight the numbers of Facebook users and their penetration both as a percentage of country
population and as percentage of total Facebook users in the Arab world.

Table 1: Facebook Users and Country Population in the Arab World

Number of Facebook
Country Facebook users Population* penetration (%)

Algeria 1,413,280 35,422,589 3.99

Bahrain 276,580 807,131 34.27

Comoros 6,240 691,351 0.90

Djibouti 46,040 879,053 5.24

Egypt 4,634,600 84,474,427 5.49

Iraq 397,140 31,466,698 1.26

Jordan 1,104,340 6,472,392 17.06

Kuwait 629,700 3,050,744 20.64

Lebanon 983,380 4,254,583 23.11

Libya 260,400 6,545,619 3.98

Mauritania 40,000 3,365,675 1.19

Morocco 2,446,300 32,381,283 7.55

Oman 219,320 2,905,114 7.55

Palestine 474,400 4,409,392 10.76

Qatar 512,060 1,508,322 33.95

Saudi Arabia 3,213,420 26,245,969 12.24

Somalia 6,940 9,133,124 0.08

Sudan 319,624 43,192,438 0.74

Syria 241,859 22,505,091 1.07

Tunisia 1,820,880 10,373,957 17.55

UAE 2,135,960 4,707,307 45.38

Yemen 179,400 24,255,928 0.74

the UAE is the most balanced in terms of adult and youthful Facebook users, while
countries such as Somalia, Palestine and Morocco have a predominantly youthful
Facebook user population


The demographic breakdown of Facebook users indicates that they are a youthful group.
Youth (between the ages of 15 and 29) make up 75% of Facebook users in the Arab region.

Figure 7: Number of Facebook Users and Percentage of Users in the Arab Region

4,634,600 5,697,423
(22%) (27%) Remaining Arab Countries

Algeria

Tunisia

UAE
3,213,420
1,413,280
(15%) Morocco
(7%)
KSA
1,820,880
(8%) Egypt
2,446,300
(11%) 2,135,960
(10%)

To ensure consistent comparisons, the populations for the Arab world used in this report were compiled from the United Nations
ILO Department of Statistics. All of the figures in international reports conflict with more recent official GCC population numbers.
Replacing some of the population figures with more recent figures from National Statistics Offices (specifically for the GCC
countries) drastically changes the Facebook penetration rates and rankings within the GCC (for further details refer to Annex 2).
2.2 Demographic and gender breakdown of Facebook penetration
The demographic breakdown of Facebook users indicates that they are a youthful group. Youth (between the ages of 15
and 29) make up 75% of Facebook users in the Arab region. Moreover, the UAE is the most balanced in terms of adult and
youthful Facebook users, while countries such as Somalia, Palestine and Morocco have a predominantly youthful Facebook
user population (see Figure 8 below).

Figure 8: Demographic Breakdown of Facebook Users in the Arab Region* (Dec. 2010)

100%
15-29 FB users (% of the total country users)
Over 30 FB users (% of total country users)

90% 22 22 22 21 20 19 17 16
80%
45 44 41 38 36 34 33 33 31 31 28 25
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
55 56 59 62 64 66 67 67 69 69 72 75 78 78 78 79 80 81 83 84
20%
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* Excluding Syria and Sudan (due to US technology sanctions, no data on demographic breakdown of Facebook users available)

8 http://laborsta.ilo.org/
9 Arab ICT Use Report 2010, Madar Research, Dubai, UAE


Moreover, the percentage of Arab Facebook users who are between 15 and 29 years of age is significantly higher than the
proportion of youth (15-29) in general in the Arab world (roughly 40% of 15 year-olds and above). See Figure 9, indicating
the high uptake of Facebook among Arab youth.

Figure 9: Comparison of Overall Youth Population to Young Facebook Users in Arab Countries*

Somalia 84.26
46.13
Oman 83.32
48.78
Mauritania 80.87
40.37
Yemen 80.26
53.38
Djibouti 78.95

15-29 years olds (% of over-15 population)
47.04
Egypt 78.15

15-29 FB users (% of over-15 FB users
43.03
Jordan 45.72
77.82

Tunisia 77.76
37.50
Algeria 75.46
42.06
Libya 71.76
46.84
Iraq 69.00
46.87
Kuwait 68.62
35.55
Lebanon 66.68
47.04
Qatar 66.58
40.71
Comoros 66.45
46.56
Bahrain 63.65
37.62
Morocco 62.40
45.51
KSA 59.46
32.85
Palestine 55.81
40.17
UAE 54.61
30.88

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00

* Excluding Syria and Sudan (due to US technology sanctions, no data on demographic breakdown of Facebook users available)

Although the Arab region in general is a youthful one, the size of the youth population does not necessarily correlate with
Facebook penetration rates. However, it does seem to indicate potential for growth (see Figure 10).

The gender breakdown of Facebook users indicates an average 2:1 ratio of
male to female users in the Arab region. This goes against the global trend of
Facebook usage, where women constitute a small majority of users, with 54%
of Facebook users


Figure 10: Comparison of Overall Youth Population to Facebook Penetration Rates in Arab Countries*

UAE 45.38
30.88
Bahrain 34.27
37.62
Qatar 33.95
40.17
Lebanon 23.11
35.55
Kuwait 20.64
32.85
Tunisia 17.55
37.50
Jordan 17.06
45.72
Saudi Arabia 12.24
40.71
Palestine 10.76
48.78
Morocco 7.55
40.37
Oman 7.55
45.51

% youth (of over 15s)
Egypt 5.49
43.03
Djibouti 5.24

FB penetration
47.04
Algeria 3.99
42.06
Libya 3.98
40.12
Iraq 1.26
46.87
Mauritania 1.19
46.84
Comoros 0.90
46.56
Yemen 0.74
53.38
Somaila 0.08
46.13

0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00

* Excluding Syria and Sudan (no data on demographic breakdown of Facebook users available)

The gender breakdown of Facebook users indicates an average 2:1 ratio of male to female users in the Arab region. This
goes against the global trend of Facebook usage, where women constitute a small majority of users, with 54% of Facebook
users10 (see Figure 11).

Figure 11: Gender Breakdown of Facebook Users in Arab Countries* (Dec. 2010) Female users as percentage of total country users

100%
Male users as percentage of total country users

90% 15 19 26 27 29 30 31 31 31 31 35 35 37 37 38 38 42 42 42 45
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
85 81 74 73 71 70 69 69 69 69 65 65 63 63 62 62 58 58 58 55
20%
10%
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* Excluding Syria and Sudan (due to US technology sanctions, no data on gender breakdown of Facebook users available)

10
http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/infographic-facebook-vs-twitter-2010-user-stats/?news=123


Lebanon is the most gender-balanced of the Arab countries, followed closely by
Bahrain, Jordan and Tunisia, while at the other end of the spectrum Facebook users
in Somalia and Yemen are overwhelmingly male

In terms of Facebook usage, Lebanon is the most gender-balanced of the Arab countries, followed closely by Bahrain,
Jordan and Tunisia, while at the other end of the spectrum Facebook users in Somalia and Yemen are overwhelmingly male

3. International Benchmarks and Facebook Usage Trends in the Arab States
Countries in the Arab world share a number of similar characteristics, such as a booming youth population, but they also diverge
along several lines. Given the diversity of Facebook penetration rates across the Arab region, we explored various indicators to
assess which trends and factors seem to affect its use and uptake. The comparison included the following indicators:
• Digital Access Index (DAI)
• Internet penetration
• Income (FDP per capita)
• Internet freedom
• Other development indicators:
o Global Gender Gap Index
o Human Development Index (HDI)

Figure 12: Facebook Penetration and Digital Access Index in the Arab Countries*
(plus Iran and Israel) (Dec. 2010)

UAE 64.00
45.38
Israel 70.00
42.93
Bahrain 60.00
34.27
Qatar 55.00
33.95
Lebanon 48.00
23.11
Kuwait 51.00
20.64
Tunisia 41.00
17.55
Jordan 45.00
17.06
Saudi 44.00
12.24
Palestine 38.00
10.76
Morocco 33.00
7.55
Oman 43.00
7.55
Egypt 40.00
5.49
FB penetration

Djibouti 15.00
5.24
DAI (x100)

Algeria 37.00
3.99
Libya 42.00
3.74
Mauritania 14.00
1.19
Syria 28.00
1.07
Comoros 13.00
0.90
Sudan 13.00
0.74
Yemen 18.00
0.74
Iran 44.00
0.17
0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00

* Excluding Iraq and Somalia; no data on DAI was provided.


3.1 Digital Access Index11 (DAI): Developed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Digital
Access Index (DAI) is a composite of several factors and measures representing the overall ability of individuals in a country
to access and use new ICTs (on a scale from 0-1)12. Within the DAI, countries are grouped into High, Upper, Medium and
Low brackets. A correlation exists with Facebook penetration for countries with high DAI, but less so for countries with
medium DAI, indicating that the other factors measured by the listed indicators above come into play and affect these
countries’ Facebook penetration rates (see Figure 12).
By comparing the Arab countries to their “peers” within each of the DAI brackets, we can see how they are performing
in terms of Facebook penetration when compared to some of the top 20 countries in the world. Clearly, the UAE, Qatar,
Bahrain and Kuwait perform as well as their counterparts in the Upper DAI bracket (Figure 13), while Lebanon, Tunisia and
Jordan also hold their own in the Medium DAI bracket (Figure 14). For the remaining Arab countries in the Middle DAI
bracket, other factors (explored further in this paper) seem to come into play.

Figure 13: Comparison of Facebook Penetration Rates Among Select Upper DAI Countries (Dec. 2010)

50.00
45.38
45.00 43.91 42.93
40.00 38.26
35.00 34.27 33.95
30.00
25.00
20.64
20.00
16.53
15.00
10.00
5.00
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Figure 14: Comparison of Facebook Penetration Rates Among Select Medium DAI Countries (Dec. 2010)

35.00
32.19
30.00

25.00 23.11
20.54
20.00 17.55 17.06
15.00 13.67
12.24
10.76
10.00 7.55 7.55
5.49
3.99 3.98
5.00
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3.2 Internet penetration13, although included in the DAI, warrants further exploration as the main driver/barrier
to Facebook usage and gives a good indication of potential for Facebook user growth. High Internet penetration does not
necessarily correlate with high Facebook penetration (see Figure 15)

11
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/dai/
12
DAI figures were multiplied by 100 for easier comparison to Facebook penetration numbers in the chart.
13
ITU statistics 2009, http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Indicators/Indicators.aspx, except Sudan, (UNDESA e-government survey 2010).


Figure 15: Facebook and Internet Penetration Rates in the Arab countries (plus Iran and Israel) (Dec. 2010)

UAE 75.00
45.38
Israel 63.12
42.93
Bahrain 53.00
34.27
Qatar 40.00
33.95
Lebanon 23.68
23.11
Kuwait 36.85
20.64
Tunisia 34.07
17.55
Jordan 26.00
17.06
Saudi Arabia 38.00
12.24
Palestine 32.23
10.76
Morocco 41.30
7.55

Internet users per 100
Oman 51.50
7.55
Egypt 24.26
5.49

FB penetration
Djibouti 3.00
5.24
Algeria 13.47
3.99
Libya 5.51
3.74
Iraq 1.06
1.26
Mauritania 2.28
1.19
Syria 20.40
1.07
Comoros 3.59
0.90
Sudan 9.19
0.74
Yemen 9.96
0.74
Iran 11.07
0.17
Somalia 1.16
0.08

0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00

Interestingly, a few Arab countries (Djibouti, Iraq) actually have more Facebook users than Internet users, indicating that
many Facebook users in these countries rely on mobile access. (See Figure 16)

Figure 16: Facebook Users as Percentage of Internet Users in Arab Countries (plus Iran and Israel) (Dec. 2010)

200.00
180.00 174.58

160.00
140.00
120.00 119.07
100.00 97.61
84.87
80.00 64.65 67.87
56.01 65.62 68.02
51.52 60.50
60.00 29.62 52.13
32.22
40.00 25.14 33.38
20.00 18.2922.61
8.0514.66
1.51 5.27 6.55 7.43
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Interestingly, a few Arab countries (Djibouti, Iraq) actually have more Facebook users than
Internet users, indicating that many Facebook users in these countries rely on mobile access.

3.3 Income (specifically GDP per capita)14 correlates to Facebook penetration at either end of the spectrum (i.e., for
countries with either very high or very low Facebook penetration), but less so for countries with a medium rate of Facebook
penetration (Figure 17). As with the DAI, it seems other factors affect Facebook penetration in the medium range. Once
again, Lebanon, Tunisia and Jordan seem to have much higher Facebook penetration rates than other Arab countries
within the same income range, as does Palestine. Oman, Saudi Arabia and Libya all have low Facebook penetration in
comparison with their GDP per capita, as well as in comparison to counterparts with the Middle DAI bracket previously
mentioned.

Figure 17: GDP per Capita and Facebook Penetration in the Arab Countries (plus Israel and Iran) (Dec. 2010)

UAE 45.38
45.61
Israel 42.93
26.87
Bahrain 34.27
19.82
Qatar 33.95
59.99
Lebanon 23.11
8.16
Kuwait 20.64
27.84
Tunisia 17.55
4.17
Jordan 17.06
4.20
Saudi Arabia 12.24
14.74
Palestine 10.76
4.50

GDP per capita (in ‹000s)
Morocco 7.55
2.88
Oman 7.55
16.00
Egypt 5.49
2.45

FB penetration
Djibouti 5.24
1.31
Algeria 3.99
4.00
Libya 3.98
9.51
Iraq 1.26
2.11
Mauritania 1.19
0.98
Yemen 1.12
1.12
Syria 1.07
2.62
Comoros 0.90
0.81
Sudan 0.74
1.40
Iran 0.17
4.40
Somalia 0.08
0.60

0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00

14
2009 estimates from IMF “World Economic Outlook Database,”
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/02/weodata/index.aspx, except Palestine
(http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/PressRelease/forecast_e.pdf ) and Somalia (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html)


3.4 Internet freedom: Rankings15 were developed based on the Open Net Initiative country profiles of internet
filtering practices.16 Counter-intuitively, filtering does not seem to correlate with Facebook penetration. Some countries
with lower scores (i.e., more pervasive filtering) have relatively high Facebook penetration (Figure 18). In fact, the top three
Arab countries in terms of Facebook penetration (UAE, Bahrain and Qatar) have the lowest Internet Freedom rankings.

Figure 18: Internet Freedom Ranking and Facebook penetration in the Arab countries*

UAE 45.38
6
Israel 42.93

Internet Freedom ranking (1=pervasive filtering, 20= no
20
Bahrain 34.27
7
Qatar 33.95
8
Libya 23.11
18
Lebanon 20.64
20
Tunisia 6
17.55

Kuwait 17.06
8
Jordan 16.68
18
Saudi Arabia 12.24
7

evidence of filtering
Palestine 10.76
17

FB penetration
Morocco 7.55
14
Oman 7.55
11
Egypt 5.49
20
Algeria 3.99
20
Iraq 1.26
20
Syria 1.07
8
Sudan 0.74
12.00
Yemen 0.74
7
Iran 0.17
5

0 10 20 30 40 50

* Excluding Somalia, Djibouti, Comoros and Mauritania (no data available on Internet freedom rankings)

3.5 Other Development Indices: To further exploring other factors that may affect Facebook usage patterns, we
compare country rankings in the Global Gender Gap Index,17 —developed by the World Economic Forum to benchmark
national gender gaps on economic, political, education- and health- based criteria—against the ratio of female to male
Facebook users in the Arab region. These did not correlate, as the percentage of female Facebook users varies across the
Arab region, while the Global Gender Gap Index seems to be rather consistent, except for Yemen). Overall, the Global
Gender Gap Index across the region is on the low side, with rankings—out of 134 countries—ranging from 103 (the UAE,
with the highest ranking in the region ) to 134 (Yemen, with the lowest ranking of all countries measured).
As with the DAI and income factors, the Human Development Index18 (HDI)—developed by the UNDP to measure
countries’ progress across the three dimensions of life expectancy, education and GDP per capita—also seems to correlate
with Facebook penetration rates, albeit with some notable exceptions (see Figure 19).

15
Ranking of 20 do not necessarily indicate a lack of filtering, but rather a lack of evidence of filtering.
16
http://opennet.net/research/profiles
17
WEP Global Gender Gap Report 2010
18
UNDP Human Development Report 2010


Figure 19: Facebook Penetration Rates and Human Development Index in the Arab Countries*

UAE 80.50
45.38
Israel 87.20
42.93
Bahrain 34.27
80.10

Qatar 80.30
33.95
Kuwait 77.10
20.64
Tunisia 68.30
17.55
Jordan 16.68
68.10

Saudi Arabia 75.20
12.24
Morocco 56.70
7.33
Egypt 62.00
5.49
Djibouti 40.20
5.24

FB penetration
Algeria 67.70
3.99

HDI (x100)
Libya 75.50
3.98
Syria 58.90
1.07
Comoros 42.80
0.90
Sudan 37.90
0.74
Yemen 43.90
0.74
Iran 70.20
0.17

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00

* Excluding Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman and Somalia (no data available on HDI)

The use of Facebook and new social media tools is quickly catching on in the region.
This is mainly because of the large youth demographic that has shown a great
propensity for these tools.
Given this large youth population and their affinity for Facebook and other social
networking tools, the Arab countries with low Facebook penetration have room for
growth in these platforms and their associated applications.


4. Analysis
4.1 Regional Overview
• Rates of users joining Facebook (as a percentage of population) over the past year (2010) are higher in the Arab
region than in some of the countries with the highest Facebook penetrations in the world, indicating that the use of
Facebook and new social media tools is quickly catching on in the region. This is mainly because of the large youth
demographic that has shown a great propensity for these tools.
• Given this large youth population and their affinity for Facebook and other social networking tools, the Arab countries
with low Facebook penetration have room for growth in these platforms and their associated applications. The UAE is
the only country where user penetration exceeds the percentage of youth in the country, indicating a more mature
penetration of social networking in the country.
Variance in penetration across the Arab region depends on several factors:
• In countries with very high or very low Facebook penetration, DAI and income seem to be factors in the uptake or
adoption of Facebook. For example, the top three Arab countries in terms of Facebook penetration (UAE, Qatar and
Bahrain) all have high DAI rankings and high GDP per capita, although Bahrain’s GDP per capita is a bit low compared
with other GCC countries; meanwhile, some of the lowest ranking countries in terms of Facebook penetration (Yemen
and Iraq) also have very low GDP per capita and DAI rankings. However, in countries with medium penetration, other
factors seem to come into play. These are explored in the “country spotlights” below.
• Similarly, countries with high Facebook penetration rates also have high Internet penetration rates, although
not all countries with high Internet penetration have high Facebook penetration rates (Saudi Arabia and Oman,
for instance) indicating possible social or cultural barriers. And in two countries (Djibouti and Iraq), Facebook
penetration is actually higher than Internet penetration, indicating the popularity of mobile access, multiple users
of the same Internet account, or the utilization of Internet cafes for those who do not have Internet access in their
homes or workplaces.
• Countries with high Facebook penetration rates also have high Human Development Indices, although not all
countries with a high HDI necessarily have high Facebook penetration rates (e.g., Saudi Arabia and Libya).
• The average percentage of female Facebook users in the Arab region (roughly 30%) is well below the world average
of 54%. This is in line with the low levels of political and economic participation, and varying access to healthcare and
education in the Arab world, as reflected in the relatively low rankings of the Arab countries in the 2010 Global Gender
Gap report.
• Although there are variations in the percentages of youth in different Arab countries, young Facebook users
(between the ages of 15 and 29) consistently dominate across the board in all Arab countries, exceeding the
percentage of youth population. This indicates that they are main driving force behind the growing Facebook
penetration rate.
• Internet freedom does not seem to affect Facebook penetration in the Arab region. Some countries with lower
scores (i.e., more pervasive filtering) have relatively high Facebook penetration. This could be due to the creativity of
the youth population in finding ways to bypass filters and censors.
Generally, countries at either end of the Facebook penetration spectrum behave “predictably” when it comes to the
possible factors affecting their Facebook uptake (or lack thereof ). The “top performers” mostly have high GDP per capita,
high Internet penetration, high HDI and a high DAI (but low Internet Freedom rankings), while the “developing countries,”
for the most part, rank poorly in all these areas. For the “emerging countries,” on the other hand, these factors do not
necessarily correlate, indicating that there could be social, cultural and political factors as well, discussed below.

Internet freedom does not seem to affect Facebook penetration in the Arab region.
Some countries with lower scores (i.e., more pervasive filtering) have relatively high
Facebook penetration. This could be due to the creativity of the youth population in
finding ways to bypass filters and censors.


4.2 Country spotlights
Some Arab countries stand out in terms of their Facebook penetration rates:

Countries with high Facebook penetration rates
The UAE , Qatar and Bahrain are on par with some of the top countries in the world, and surpass some of them in terms of
new Facebook user penetration over the past year, despite having some of the lowest Internet Freedom rankings in the
world. This could be because social media tools do not fall under Internet restrictions in these countries.

Countries with above-average Facebook penetration rates
Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Tunisia all stand out, with higher Facebook penetration rates than other Arab countries
within the same GDP per capita and DAI brackets, (and rates equal to some of the global “Top 20” within their DAI
bracket). Lebanon, Jordan and Tunisia are some of the most gender-balanced Arab countries as well, in terms of Facebook
penetration. Possible causes for this above-average penetration could be that Lebanon has fewer restrictions on Internet
and more freedom of speech than the rest of the Arab world. Jordan and Tunisia, on the other hand, have both taken great
strides in advancing their ICT and e-Government strategies (respectively). Tunisia, in fact, is the best performer in the North
African region, with a much higher Facebook penetration rate than Egypt, Algeria and Libya, even though they all have
similar DAI rates. With regard to Palestine (and Tunisia more recently), Facebook usage tends to rise in times of conflict and
unrest, as it can provide an outlet for discussion, communication and protest, especially among youth.

Countries with below-average Facebook penetration rates
Saudi Arabia and Oman both have lower Facebook penetration rates tahn countries in their same GDP per capita and
DAI brackets. Given their relatively high income and Internet penetration compared to other Arab countries with similar
Facebook penetration rates, other factors such as social and cultural norms and sensitivities could be holding back further
Facebook penetration.


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