شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي والمجال العمومي الافتراضي: دراسة في تفاعل الجمهور العراقي مع قضايا الفساد

Description

Abstract (English)

The study titled “Social Media and the Virtual Public Sphere: A Study of Iraqi Public Engagement with Corruption Issues” aimed to answer the central question: To what extent have social media platforms contributed to the engagement of the Iraqi public in the virtual public sphere regarding public affairs? The study was based on a primary assumption that there is a statistically significant relationship between the frequency of social media use and the prioritization of specific issues by social media, making them a priority for the public.

The objective of this research was to identify the public affairs issues that the audience engages with the most, to examine the extent to which freedom of expression is available on social media, to uncover the role of platforms in enhancing public engagement with public affairs, and to determine the types of information sought by the public sample. The descriptive method was employed, surveying a sample of 600 respondents from the Iraqi population in the governorates of Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Thi-Qar. The research questions and hypotheses were applied based on theoretical assumptions regarding the prioritization of issues.

The significance of this study lies in its scientific contribution to analyzing the behavior of the Iraqi public in the digital environment, given the limited research on digital engagement with corruption issues in Iraq—a space that requires further academic documentation.

The study yielded several key findings. Corruption emerged as the top-ranked public affairs issue. The results also indicated that Facebook in Iraq serves as a virtual public sphere and is the most widely used social media platform. Additionally, the findings revealed the presence of a certain degree of freedom of expression, which allowed the public on social media platforms a broader opportunity to engage with public affairs issues.