Privacy & Social Media in the Context of the Arab Gulf

TL;DR

This paper explores Arab Gulf citizens' perceptions of privacy in social media, emphasizing cultural and religious influences, and proposes culturally sensitive design principles for privacy-aware technology development.

Contribution

It provides a culturally specific analysis of privacy perceptions in the Middle East and offers design guidelines tailored to Arab Gulf social media users.

Findings

Privacy perceptions are heavily influenced by Islamic and cultural norms.

Users navigate social media with privacy practices rooted in local traditions.

Culturally sensitive design principles can improve privacy features in social media platforms.

Abstract

Theories of privacy and how it relates to the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) have been a topic of research for decades. However, little attention has been paid to the perception of privacy from the perspective of technology users in the Middle East. In this paper, we delve into interpretations of privacy from the approach of Arab Gulf citizens. We consider how privacy is practiced and understood in technology-mediated environments among this population, paying particular attention to the role of Islam and cultural traditions in constructing norms around privacy. We then offer culturally sensitive design principles and suggestions for future research that incorporates previously unexplored characteristics of privacy, which play a role in how users navigate social media.