TY - JOUR
T1 - Attribute substitution and stereotypes about the online Arab public sphere
T2 - Predictors of concerns about Internet surveillance in five Arab countries
AU - Martin, Justin David
AU - Naqvi, S. Shageaa
AU - Schoenbach, Klaus
N1 - Funding Information:
The basis of our analyses are 4160 Internet users, 18 years and older, in Lebanon (n = 839), Qatar (n = 901), Saudi Arabia (n = 945), Tunisia (n = 489), and the UAE (n = 984). Internet penetration rates at the time data were collected: Lebanon = 84%, Qatar = 93%, Saudi Arabia = 93%, Tunisia = 49%, and UAE = 99%. The data were gathered via in-person interviewing in each country (though not in Qatar, where data were collected by phone, following random-digit generation),1 under direction by Northwestern University in Qatar and Harris Interactive. Data collection began on 20 December 2015 and was completed on 27 February 2016. Interviews took approximately a half an hour each. Survey costs were funded at 50% by support from the Qatar National Research Fund, the remaining half from Doha Film Institute.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.
PY - 2019/5/1
Y1 - 2019/5/1
N2 - This study examined concerns about Internet surveillance among Internet users in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE (N = 4160). Despite common stereotypes about how variables like gender, youth, income, nationality, and liberal or conservative ideology affect political and cultural attitudes in Arab countries, these indicators were not significant predictors of concerns about online surveillance by governments and companies. Arab nationals reported greater concern about companies monitoring their online activity, while expatriates were more worried about government surveillance. The study uses literature on the attribute substitution heuristic to discuss how people might form stereotypes about large groups.
AB - This study examined concerns about Internet surveillance among Internet users in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE (N = 4160). Despite common stereotypes about how variables like gender, youth, income, nationality, and liberal or conservative ideology affect political and cultural attitudes in Arab countries, these indicators were not significant predictors of concerns about online surveillance by governments and companies. Arab nationals reported greater concern about companies monitoring their online activity, while expatriates were more worried about government surveillance. The study uses literature on the attribute substitution heuristic to discuss how people might form stereotypes about large groups.
KW - Arab countries
KW - Middle East
KW - attribute substitution
KW - digital privacy
KW - stereotypes
KW - surveillance
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U2 - 10.1177/1461444818821369
DO - 10.1177/1461444818821369
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85065833248
VL - 21
SP - 1085
EP - 1104
JO - New Media and Society
JF - New Media and Society
SN - 1461-4448
IS - 5
ER -