Eugene, USA - A new study has unveiled the extent to which how the Middle East utilizes social media for communication and business. 

The report, “Social Media in the Middle East 2022: A Year in Review” was published by the University of Oregon-UNESCO Crossings Institute. Led by Professor Damian Radcliffe, this report is the eleventh in a series of annual studies dating back to 2012. 

This latest study reveals that social media usage is pervasive across the Middle East, with the MENA region leading the way in the take-up and usage of multiple platforms. 

Key findings captured in the study include:

●    Five MENA nations can be seen in the Top 10 for take-up of social networks. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Qatar, have the highest levels of adoption in the world, according to findings published[1] by DataReportal and featured in the report.
 
●    Globally, social media usage around the world remains at 2019 levels. With one exception: MEA. The Middle East and Africa region surveyed[2] by GlobalWebIndex reveals that users are often on social media for more than three hours a day.

●    The Top 5 countries in the world for reach on YouTube are all in the region.  Lebanon leads the way, followed by Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and UAE. 

●    It’s the same on TikTok. The top five spots for the app - by reach - are all held by Middle East nations (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq). Nine MENA nations are in the Top 20.

●    Nine of the Top 16 nations in the world using Snapchat are in MENA (based on reach), as are five of the Top 20 markets - by total audience size - globally. Bahrain has the highest reach (79.8%) of any national market in the world.

●    Libya has the largest reach for Facebook globally, with 96.1% of those aged 13+ using the social network. Worldwide, Libya is also ranked second in the adoption of Facebook Messenger. Three-quarters of those aged 13+ (75%) use the app.
 
●    Four MENA nations can be found in the Top 20 for reach on Instagram, while Turkey is now the 5th largest market for Instagram, globally, with nearly 49m users.
 
●    Three countries in MENA can be found in the Top 20 markets for Twitter; and viewed by market share, the region has five spots in the Top 20. 

Alongside these headline numbers, the report showcases case studies outlining how businesses, governments, NGOs, influencers and celebrities, are using social media. 

“As the most comprehensive and up-to-date study of its kind, this report is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the region's digital landscape,” Professor Radcliffe said.
"We hope that our findings will help businesses and individuals better understand the social media landscape in the region and develop more effective communication strategies."  

To access the full report, and the archive of annual studies going back to 2012, please visit: https://unesco.uoregon.edu/middle-east/ 

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About the report and authors

This new report relied on more than 200 sources and references - in English and Arabic - all of which are hyperlinked and referenced throughout. 

The research team was led by Professor Damian Radcliffe, an experienced digital analyst, consultant and journalist with an extensive interest in Middle East and North African Studies. 

Professor Radcliffe has produced an annual report charting social media developments across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) since 2012; and he wrote a monthly column on technology in the MENA region for ZDNet, the leading technology website, between December 2013 and May 2022. Find him on Twitter @damianradcliffe. 

The report was co-authored by Hadil Abuhmaid, a Media Studies Doctoral Candidate at the University of Oregon. This is the fourth annual social media report she has co-authored with Damian Radcliffe. Hadil has a BS in Journalism and Political Science from Bir-Zeit University in Palestine and an MA in Nonprofit Management from the University of Oregon. She is the co-founder of Filmlab: Palestine, a nonprofit company based in Ramallah, that aims to develop the cinema industry in Palestine. 

Nii Mahliaire, a Ph.D. Candidate in Communication and Media Studies at the University of Oregon provided Professor Radcliffe and Hadil with additional research support.

Read or download the report via the University of Oregon-UNESCO Crossings Institute, University of Oregon Scholars' Bank, SSRN, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, SlideShare and Scribd.

Media Contact: Damian Radcliffe, Carolyn S. Chambers Professor of Journalism, University of Oregon, USA. Email: damianr@uoregon.edu