From the Timeline to the Streets; The Influence of Public Social Media on Street Mobilization During the Lebanese October Revolution
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2024-08-11
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en
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This research explores the role social media had in the development of the Lebanese October Revolution in 2019 and 2020. Initially triggered by the announcement of austerity measures, including a controversial tax on WhatsApp, this popular uprising gripped Lebanon for months, drawing hundreds of thousands of citizens to the streets nationwide in demand of systemic change. This study focuses on how participants of the October Revolution leveraged social media platforms to coordinate their actions and sway public opinion, ultimately impacting the dynamics of offline collective action. Its findings reveal that social media served as a crucial tool for those opposing the regime. Through desk research and interviews with Lebanese citizens who took part in the protests, this research demonstrates that the use of various online platforms enhanced the movement's accessibility and relatability, amplifying its popular and non-sectarian character, while also adding emotional weight to the uprising and giving the protests a more monumental feel. This not only boosted participation in street mobilizations but also sustained the continuity of the protests and the resolve of the participants, thereby shaping the revolution's trajectory.
Keywords: Lebanon, social movements, social media, framing, mobilization
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen