Saudi public opinion attitudes toward addressing Saudi national identity issues on Twitter

Document Type : Original Article

Author

* Associate professor- College of Media and Communication- Immam Mohammed bin Saud University in Riyadh

Abstract


The current study results confirmed that Saudi public opinion uses Twitter intensively to gather information about national identity issues both for archaeological findings, and geographical site, or relying on Saudi competencies through Saudization, or social and belonging issues. Microblogging in Twitter has been seen as an effective electronic platform by Saudi public opinion to express their views regarding critical issues in the Kingdom particularly national identity issues.  
Current study results also indicate that Twitter network imposed tangible and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impacts in Saudi public opinion consistent with previous scientific legacy which affirms that this network has been made a change in Saudi community reality. It also has increased in participation of Saudi public opinion in discussing crucial social issues most notably national identity issues.
The current study proves the validity of the scientific statements for (Attitude Formation Model) about the level of discussion regarding the critical issues and the levels of confidence placed by Saudi public opinion in Twitter. Although Twitter has cognitive and emotional impacts, Saudi public opinion has negative attitudes toward this network regarding the existence of confusion between opinion and news while it reveals the topics related to Saudi national identity. Also, the absence of moral and professional responsibility of Twitter`s officials regarding the contentious issues of national identity in the Kingdom.
The results of scientific assumptions of the current study also emphasize the existence positive correlations between the public opinion reliance on Twitter and its attitudes toward addressing them (Twitter network) of Saudi national identity issues which reflect increased awareness levels for Saudi public opinion about the problems connected to inaccurate information addressed by social networks about the critical issues in kingdom. The same results also confirm the validity of the scientific statements for Attitude Formation Model emphasizing that public opinion characteristics are the most prominent variable in determining the influence of social media particularly Twitter.

Keywords