A Page and Its Politics: Situating Kullinā Khālid Sa'īd in Egypt's Ideological Landscape at the Time of Revolution'. Issue 2 (31st December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Woltering, Robbert; Abdulla, Rasha; Poell, Thomas; Rieder, Bernhard; Zack, Liesbeth
• Is Part Of: Cyber Orient. Volume 9:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 65
• Page End: 83
• Publication Date: 2020-12-31
• Subjects: social media -- cyberactivism -- democracy -- Internet -- Arab Spring -- Internet studies -- Egypt -- activism; Digital media -- Middle East -- Periodicals; Digital media -- Arab countries -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Middle East -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Arab countries -- Periodicals; Middle East -- Civilization -- Periodicals; 306.0956
• DOI: 10.1002/j.cyo2.20150902.0004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1804-3194

Abstract

Abstract: In discussions concerning the importance of social media in the 25January revolution, a central role is given to the "Kullinā Khālid Sa'īd" [We're all Khaled Said] Facebook page. Using an advanced data collection and extraction application called Netvizz, a research team consisting of Arabists and Media studies specialists has collected and analysed all of the posts and comments exchanged through the page. This data set allows for a systematic analysis of the page. This article offers an outline of the ideological nature of "Kullinā Khālid Sa'īd, " with particular emphasis on the "revolutionary" period between 1 January – 11 February 2011. It argues that the page shows no evidence of political bias in the sense of explicit favoring of a political group. Rather, the page constituted a community of users who abstained from using politically factional language. Reflecting the mood and concerns of the revolution's grassroots masses, it clearly illustrates the disinclination to engage with formal politics.