Presentation to ISOC INET Qatar Conference, 27 November 2012, focusing on the Middle East and North African in a Global Perspective. Based on the Global Values Project at the OII, University of Oxford.

1. TheArabRegion in
the New Internet World
William Dutton
Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford
Global Values Project: http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/research/projects/?id=65
Presentation for INET Qatar, Doha, 27 November 2012.

2. The Global Values Project
 Focus: Global User Perspectives on Freedom of Expression
 Researchers: William Dutton, Principal Investigator; SoumitraDutta,
Co-Principal Investigator; Ginette Law, Research Associate, Gillian
Bolsover, Research Assistant, Isabella Litke, Research Assistant
Based at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, in
collaboration with the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of
Management, Cornell University.
 Surveys conducted in collaboration with the World Economic Forum
(WEF) and comScore
 Supported by ictQatar through ISIS Innovation, University of Oxford
 Online field research conducted by Toluna and comScore

3. The Global Values Project:
The New Internet World
1. New online nations are
dominant in the New World;
2. Users developing a global
Internet culture: sharing
similar values and attitudes;
3. Newly adopting countries are
as liberal, if not more so,
such as support for freedom
of expression;
4. Users in the newly adopting
nations are more innovative
in their patterns of use, e.g.,
social networking.

4. ResearchQuestions
• Where does MENA sit in the ‘New Internet
World’?
• Are there patterns of attitudes or beliefs
constraining the role of the Internet in the
MENA region?

5. Methodology
• Online survey of Internet users in selected nations of
the Middle East and North Africa conducted in two
phases, from July through September 2012, fielded
by Toluna.*
• Merged with online survey of Internet users in
selected nations world-wide from July through
September 2012, fielded by comScore.
• Contextualized by review of related research and
literature, including other survey data available to the
project investigators.
*The survey was suspended during Ramadan.

6. The Survey Sample
Composition:
• 11,225 respondents in over 58 countries
MENA AFRICA LATIN ASIA EUROPE OCEANIA NORTH TOTAL
REGION AMERICA /AUS AMERICA
(N) 2,803 595 1,825 2,156 2,025 509 1,312 11,225
(N) = 2,309 (N) = 9,166

7. MENA REGION GCC NORTH AFRICA
Algeria 229 Bahrain 11 Algeria 229
Bahrain 11 Kuwait 197 Egypt 529
Egypt 529 Oman 141 Morocco 270
Iran 3 Qatar 156 Tunisia 108
Iraq 1 Saudi Arabia 511
Israel 10 UAE 245
Jordan 243
Kuwait 197
Morocco 270
Oman 141
Qatar 156
Saudi
Arabia 511
Tunisia 108
UAE 245
Yemen 149
TOTAL 2803 1261 1136

8. Number and Proportion of Internet Users by Region
90% 1200
79%
80%
1017
1000
70% 68%
61%
Total number of Internet users (Mil.)
60% 800
% of Internet users
50%
600
40% 45%
40% 501
36%
30% 26% 400
273
20% 22% 236
14%
200
139
10% 12%
10% 77
24 6%
1% 3%
0% 0
North America Oceania/Australia Europe Latin Middle East Asia Africa
America/Carib.
Percentage of global Internet population Number of Internet Users (mio.) Internet penetration within region
Source: Internet World Stats- www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm. Penetration rates are based on a world population of 6,930,055,154 and
2,267,233,742 estimated Internet users for December 31, 2011.

9. Patterns of Use
•MENA users rely more on the Internet for information &
communication than users in North America/Europe.
• The Internet is a greater source of entertainment, such as
music, in the MENA region.
• MENA users more involved in content production than old
Internet countries.
• However, less reliance on the Internet for work/school and
business and commerce in MENA.
Image courtesy of uak_rock8/Flickr.com Image courtesy of jannoon028/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

10. "The Internet is making things better for people like
me."
60%
50% 49%49%
48%
40% 39%
MENA (n=2727)
30%
North Africa (n=1102)
GCC ( (n=1227)
21% World Average (n=10811)
20%
17%
16%
15%
13%
12% 12%
11% 11%
10% 10%
10% 9% 9%
8%
7%
5% 5%
4% 4% 4% 4%
3% 3% 3%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7
disagree

11. Global Values: Freedom of
Expression, Privacy, Trust, …
Image scourtesy of maya picture and digitalart/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

12. Perceptions of Media Freedom in the MENA Region
90%
80%
% of respondents who believe that the media has freedom
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Radio Print TV Internet
MENA (n=2803) 45% 49% 47% 70%
Global Average (n=11225) 66% 65% 65% 82%

13. Perceptions of Media Freedom in North Africa and
the GCC Region
% of respondents who believe that the medi a has freedom
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Radio Print TV Internet
North Africa (n=1136) 47% 54% 47% 78%
GCC (n=1261) 44% 46% 47% 63%

14. "Access to the Internet should be a fundamental right
for all people."
70%
60% 59%
54%
50% 47% 46%
40%
MENA (n=2694)
North Africa (n=1092)
30% GCC ( (n=1203)
World Average (n=10794)
20% 18%
14%
12% 12% 12% 13%
10% 11% 10% 10%
10% 9%
5% 5% 5%
3% 3% 4% 2%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7
disagree

15. "People should be able to say what they feel about
their government on the Internet."
60%
50% 48%
42%
41%
40%
33%
MENA (n=2639)
30%
North Africa (n=1078)
GCC ( (n=1163)
World Average (n=10754)
20% 19%
16% 16%
15% 15%
14% 14%
13%
12%
11% 11%
10% 9%
7% 7%
6% 6%
5%
4% 5%
3%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7
disagree

16. "I can express myself freely online."
45%
40% 39%
35%
31%
30%
27%
25%
23% MENA (n=2700)
22%
21%
North Africa (n=1097)
20% 19% 19%
18% 18% GCC ( (n=1204)
17%
16% 16% 16% 16% World Average (n=10831)
15%
13%
10%
8% 8%
7% 7% 7%
6% 6%
5%
5% 4% 4% 4%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7
disagree

17. “I can express myself freely online” Proportions Who ‘Totally Disagree’ (MENA)
Gender Skills**
29%
17%
Male, 6%
Female, 8% 10%
7% 7% 6%
4%
1 Poor 2 3 4 5 6 7
Age** Excellent
8% 8% Time of use**
7% 7%
6% 11%
5%
8%
6% 5% 5%
0%
Under 18 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
0-5 hrs/week 6-10 11-15 16-20 >20 hrs/week
hrs/week hrs/week hrs/week
15% Experience** 15%
Education**
8% 9%
7% 6%
5% 5%
9% 9%
7% 7%
5%
<6 months 6 mo-<1yr 1 yr-<2 yrs 2 yrs-<5 yrs 5-7 yrs >7 yrs

18. "I feel free to say things online that others might not
45%
agree with." 42%
40%
37%
35%
32%
MENA (n=2682)
30%
27%
North Africa (n=1093)
25%
GCC ( (n=1194)
20% World Average
17% 17% (n=10735)
16%
15%
15% 14% 14%
13% 13%
11% 11% 11% 11%
10% 10%
10%
8% 8%
7%
6% 6% 6%
5% 5%
5%
0%
1 Totally disagree 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7

19. “The Internet is a safe place to express my opinions."
25%
22%
21%
20% 20%
20% 19%
18% 18%
17%
15% 15%
15%
MENA (n=2803)
12%
11% 11% North Africa (n=1136)
10% 10% GCC ( (n=1261)
10% 9% World Average (n=11225)
8% 8% 8%
7% 7%
6%
5%
5% 4%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7 Don't know
disagree

20. "There are times when people should be able to be
anonymous on the Internet."
35%
31%
30%
30%
28%
27%
25%
20%
18% MENA (n=2665)
17%
16% 16% North Africa (n=1064)
15% 15%
15% 14% GCC (n=1185)
13% 13% 13% 13%
12% 12% 12% World Average (n=10701)
10%
10% 9%
8% 8%
7% 7% 7%
6% 6%
5%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7
disagree

21. "Government authorities should not censor political
content on the Internet."
30%
28%
27%
25% 24%
21%
20%
18%
16% 16%
15% 15% MENA (n=2803)
15% 14% 14% 14%
13% North Africa (n=1136)
12% GCC ( (n=1261)
11% 11% 11%
10% World Average (n=11225)
10% 9% 9%
8%
7% 7% 7%
6% 6%
5%
5%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7 Don't Know
disagree

22. “It is OK for people to express their ideas on the
Internet, even if they are extreme.”
30%
27%
25% 24%
23%
20%
20%
18% 18% 18% 18% 18%
17% 17%
16% 16%
15% MENA (n=2652)
15% 14%
13% North Africa (n=1079)
12% GCC ( (n=1180)
11%
10% 10% World Average (n=10761)
10% 9% 9% 9%
8% 8%
7%
5%
0%
1 Totally 2 3 4 5 6 Totally agree 7
disagree

23. Over-Arching Themes
 The MENA Region Reflects the New Internet World
- Innovative Uses of the Internet and Social Media
- Support for the Internet for Information, Entertainment, Expression, …
- Support for Core Internet Values: Freedom of Expression, Privacy, …
- But More Sensitive Areas of Expression
 Concerns over Privacy, Trust, Security, …
 Spectrum of Regional Opinions between Two Poles:
Traditional versus Next Generation Users
(education, age, and experience online)
 Differences with MENA Region
Image courtesy of uak_rock8/Flickr.com

24. Implications for Discussion
 Interventions in Support of More Inclusive Access:
- Take-up
- Skills
- Digital Literacy
 Encourage Greater Use in Business, Government and Commerce
 Foster Dialogue Across the Spectrum of Opinions
 Address Uncertainties and Anxieties
Image scourtesy of maya picture and
digitalart/FreeDigitalPhotos.net