ABSTRACT
This chapter contributes to an emerging conversation on culture, communication, and the practice of everyday life in the Middle East focusing on how social media is embedded in polarizing forces for change in Saudi Arabia. The desert kingdom is known as being among the most conservative Islamic countries in the world and a country with strict sharia laws and public executions as well as conservative/repressive social mores. On the other hand, the kingdom’s Internet penetration rate is among the highest in the region. The chapter illustrates the consequences of this dramatic shift in the country’s digital footprint, providing insights into the scope and impact of Saudi Arabia’s social media transformation.
