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TunisiaPapersIEMed 23 – Social media : a double-edged sword for the social movements and their fight against the “power” in Algeria
Social media have played an extremely important role during the “Hirak” demonstrations which undermined the Algerian political scene. The increase in the use of NICT (New Information and Communication Technologies) as well as the integration of the Algerian youth to higher education had been the main factors which favoured the emergence of a new space for dialogue, a non –hierarchical articulation of the protest and a coordination for the Algerian civil society, due to the lack of a favourable environment for the citizens mobilization.
The social media have undoubtedly paved the way to the coordination of the citizens’ mobilisation in Algeria, which enabled the recomposition of the social body. Nevertheless, these social media were also the means through which the government disseminated “fake news” and started the digital control of the citizens.
The article is divided into two main sections: a theoretical analysis of the relation between popular uprisings and social media and a reflection on the reason why these NICT have been so essential during the “Hirak”. The author analyses why the Algerian case is a very good illustration of this topic, through a study of the events which took place throughout 2019.
