Brotherhood utilizing social media to spread own ideology – Study

Mohamed Abdelghaffar

Terrorist organizations have used social media in promoting their ideas and activities and recruiting youth within their ranks.

This applies to the Muslim Brotherhood, which tries to implement its expansionist strategy, using social media.

This Islamist organization rose to power in Egypt, following January 25 revolution in 2011. It failed, however, in solving the problems of the people which was why Egyptians rose up against it in June 2013. This was shocking to the group and dismaying to its backers in the region and in the world.

It counter this, the Brotherhood resorted to a number of tools. It also staged psychological warfare against the Egyptian state, using social media. In doing this, the Brotherhood also depended on its website and Rassd network.

The page of Rassd network on Facebook was at the center of a new study by Labiba Abdelnabi Ibrahim, a professor of media at Helwan University.

Ibrahim conducted her study on the network in the period between June 28, 2013 and December 2015. The study aims to throwing light on the nature of the content of the network and the mechanisms it uses in promoting the ideas of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Media arm

The study shows that Rassd network focused on specific headlines with the aim of promoting the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood and inciting against the Egyptian state and its institutions.

The network also worked hard to make ordinary Egyptians lose confidence in their country’s institutions, especially the security establishment, by publishing false news and fabrications.

It also worked to throw light on the content broadcast by news and TV channels backing the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Mekameleen and al-Jazeera.

The two channels tried to give a false impression about the protests taking place in Egypt, attempting to convince viewers that a large number of Egyptians participate in these protests.

The content of the network proves correct the view that the Brotherhood worked tooth and nail to utilize social media in promoting its ideas at the local and regional levels.