Being on Facebook, a social networking website, you cannot get away from coming across groups and pages that often make you smile, snort, gnash your teeth or even evoke pangs of nostalgia. On the other hand, any upsetting event around the world can also cause a huge influx of people on a certain group on Facebook expressing solidarity with the victims or hatred for the detractors. Many are also campaigning for political or social changes, health related awareness as well as many other causes. Many groups and pages are sporadically created on Facebook demanding certain changes, most controversially demanding the removal of offensive groups that target other cultures and religious beliefs. Inarguably, social networking has become the strongest platform for the freedom of expression. So how do the likes of Facebook respond to this demand? Simon Axten, a representative of Facebook wrote to Saudi Gazette via email: “We take our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities very seriously and react quickly to reports of inappropriate content and behavior. Specifically, we're sensitive to content that includes pornography, direct statements of hate, and actionable threats of violence. The goal of these policies is to strike a very delicate balance between giving people the freedom to express opinions – even if those opinions are controversial – and maintaining a safe and trusted environment.” Facebook statistics reveal that an average user is a member of at least 13 groups and that average user becomes a member of four ‘pages' on average, each month. Overall, there are more than three million active ‘page's on Facebook; more than 1.5 million local businesses have active Pages on Facebook; more than 20 million people become fans of Pages each day and pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans in total. The dependence of today's youth on social networking websites is spiraling uncontrollably and a budding trend of campaigning for awareness and getting their demands heard through social networking is seen as a promising tool by many. Campaigning in the Kingdom Recently, Rawan Al-Thomali, a student at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), created a Facebook group “Against the Regulations and Laws of King Abdulaziz University and Students Affairs.” She explained that in the absence of a council of students (student council) in her university, she was forced to use Facebook as a platform to get the students' demand heard by the management. This campaign came as part of reaction to KAU's latest ban on carrying electronic equipments with cameras; abayas and wearing pants in women-only sections of the university. “The University gave a quick reaction to our campaign on Facebook. We got the chance to talk to our dean Hanaa Al-Nuaim. She was very cooperative and understanding. She promised to look into the matter and get our demands met within two to five semesters,” said Rawan. “It was an interesting way to express our demands through a social networking website.” Earlier, Reem Assad, a lecturer in Finance and Investment at the Dar Al-Hekmah girls' college in Jeddah - who also contributes her write-ups for both the Al Eqtisadiah and Al Tadawul magazines - is probably the first woman in the Kingdom to campaign for awareness and demand change through a social networking medium. Asaad created the “Ban men from selling lingerie in KSA” Facebook group in September 2008 and currently has around 5000 members. Her objective was to get the Saudi Labor Law No. 120 implemented that states “only females may be employed in women apparel and accessories stores”. Till date no concrete action. However, her constant campaigning and boycott demands through Facebook have proven to be instrumental when Nayomi - a lingerie chain - responded by introducing two “Unmanned” stores in Jeddah, providing a women-only environment, last month. “I just used to post my articles and demands on my group and press used it making my work easier and building pressure on authorities to get it implemented,” she wrote in a message to Saudi Gazette. Asaad added that the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industries facilitated a meeting with retailers and Nayomi and the Al Sawani Group have given a favorable response. “Facebook can be a great medium to get your demands aired. Members of my group are very supportive and encouraging. I have members from outside the Kingdom too,” she wrote. Talking about the future of groups campaigning through social networking she wrote: “It is an effective way. I am optimistic but uncertain about its bright future. It is too early to say.” While Monaf Khalifa, an Arab living in America and a doctor who created a group “Praying Times and Muslims Activities” initially started his group with his friends to guide people about the right time of prayers and Qibla direction around the world. With the growing popularity of his group he started promoting awareness about Islam by sending members translated verses from the Holy Qur'an and a Hadith on a daily basis. Khalifa claims that his group has been joined by eight more groups which make about 18, 300 members. “The response from members is considerable. If we are unable to send them their daily portion of translation they mail us asking for it. They also ask us for guidance if they have confusion in any ruling of Islam. We find them solutions and attach them internet links providing the solution to their problems. We are trying to bring out the real picture of Islam through our mails on Facebook which people throughout the world need to know. It was (a source of) real happiness for me when a person asked me to give him some ideas to persuade his fiancée to convert to Islam. I sent her some Islamic websites' links and today, Mashallah, she is a Muslim.” “Social networking has made things much easier, I have so many people asking me questions from all around the world and telling me about their cultural behavior in religion. It has really made the world a small place but you have to be very careful to whom you are following as it can be misleading too. Overall, it has bright future if used effectively,” he added. Dr. Alhumood Abdullah, an associate professor in the department of Mass Communication at the Imam University in Riyadh, and vice president of the Saudi Association for Media and Communication believes that Facebook has become a tool of communication on a national and international level. It has its impact beyond geographical and political boundaries. “In the near future it might not have that strong impact but its future is bright if used in a well organized way. We must wait and watch the changes coming in Saudi society which is reluctant to fast changes and communicating with too many people, but the coming generation is advanced and more exposed to technology and open to changes. Surely they might use it as tool to get their voices heard through social networking tools and media.”
