Al-Shabaab's Social Media Strategy

 The CTC Sentinel published in its January 2024 issue a detailed research article titled "The Online Frontline: Decoding al-Shabaab's Social Media Strategy" by Georgia Gilroy. 

The article presents findings from a research study into al-Shabaab's online behavior between January and December 2023, and explores the concerning threats posed by al-Shabaab's growing technical skills.  Al-Shabaab's continued resilience is enhanced by its sophisticated communications infrastructure.  Its networks provide an alarmingly well-controlled, adaptive, and coordinated approach to social media that serves to weaponize online spaces and platforms.  

African Social Media Mostly Indifferent or Negative Towards Russia

The South African Institute of International Affairs published on 11 November 2022 a survey titled "African Social Media Indicates Indifference Towards Russia." 

The Institute analyzed social media data from Twitter in thirteen African countries from February to October 2022.  Although were was some positive reaction to Russia in South Africa and Mali, the populations in the other eleven countries were generally indifferent or negative towards Russia.  The Russia-Ukraine war was a key driver of anti-Russia attitudes.  

Russian Misinformation on Its Ukraine Invasion and Social Media

 Brookings published on 27 June 2022 an analysis titled "Russia's Narratives about Its Invasion of Ukraine Are Lingering in Africa" by Mary Blankenship and Aloysius Uche Ordu.

While Ukraine has been able to communicate by social media the atrocities of Russia's invasion, the Russians have successfully obscured the facts through misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda.  

Ethiopian Hate Speech on Social Media

 The BBC posted on 23 November 2021 an account titled "Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict: What Are Facebook and Twitter Doing about Hate Speech?" by Peter Mwai.

Both pro and anti-government users of Facebook and Twitter have posted hateful and inflammatory content in Amharic, Afan Oromo, Somali, and Tigrinya.  Social media platforms are caught in the middle as they try to manage these postings.  

The Social Media War in Ethiopia

 The Media Manipulation Casebook published on 14 September 2021 a detailed study titled "Dueling Information Campaigns: The War Over the Narrative in Tigray" by Claire Wilmot, Ellen Tveteraas, and Alexi Drew.  

The paper looks at the competing information campaigns related to the conflict in Tigray Region of Ethiopia and discusses the contesting narratives designed to influence international understanding of the conflict being played out on Twitter.

Conflict in Tigray: Dueling Information Campaigns

 The Media Manipulation Casebook published on 24 August 2021 a study titled "Dueling Information Campaigns: The War Over the Narrative in Tigray" by Claire Wilmot, Ellen Tveteraas, and Alexi Drew.

This detailed study looks at the competing information campaigns related to the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray Region, which began in November 2020.  The case study documents the strategies and tactics of the Ethiopian government and its supporters and Tigrayan organizers and their allies in the diaspora and Ethiopia.  The authors offer an unbiased look at propaganda from both sides of the conflict in Ethiopia.  

China's Diplomats Turn to Twitter and Facebook

 The Oxford Internet Institute published on 11 May 2021 a study titled "China's Public Diplomacy Operations: Understanding Engagement and Inauthentic Amplification of PRC Diplomats on Facebook and Twitter" by Marcel Schliebs, Hannah Bailey, Jonathan Bright, and Philip N. Howard.  

China makes use of both state-controlled media outlets and over 270 diplomatic accounts on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to amplify the country's perspective on global affairs and current events.  Chinese diplomats and state-backed media agencies are highly active on Twitter.  

China's Ambassador to South Africa Recalled to Join Media Campaign?

The Daily Maverick published on 30 March 2020 a commentary titled "Ambassador Lin Songtian's Recall Signals Shifts Ahead in China-Africa Relationship" by Cobus van Staden, South African Institute of International Affairs.

China's recently recalled ambassador to South Africa, Lin Songtian, is the former director general for Africa in the foreign ministry and one of China's most senior ambassadors. He was well known for his media outreach and use of Twitter in South Africa, especially his critique of US policy in Africa. His premature departure from Pretoria may signal a promotion whereby he joins China's effort to criticize US policy globally and highlight the positive aspects of China's policy.

China-Africa Trends to Watch in 2020

The Chinafrica Project posted on 3 January 2020 a commentary titled "China-Africa in 2020: Three Trends to Watch" by Cobus van Staden.

The three trends are inceasing use by Chinese diplomats of twitter accounts in their public diplomacy efforts, China's role in growing African debt, and China's contribution to the development of sustainable energy in Africa.

China's Ambassadors in Africa Turn to Twitter

The South China Morning Post published on 14 December 2019 an article titled "China's African Envoys Take Twitter Tips from Trump in PR Offensive" by Jevans Nyabiage.

A number of China's ambassadors in Africa have taken to twitter with their messages in order to reach ordinary Africans. It remains to be seen what kind of impact this effort will have.

Protests in Ethiopia: The Diaspora and Social Media

Foreign Affairs published on 7 November 2016 an article titled "Is Twitter Hurting Ethiopia? Rumor and Unrest in a Fragile Federation" by James Jeffrey.

The author concludes that the Ethiopian diaspora in the United States current fixation is to influence protests on the ground, which many see as a pathway for bringing down the government. He adds that the militancy of some online activists is making it harder for legitimate grievances to be aired and gives the government an excuse to dismiss unrest as being driven by nefarious external forces.

Somalia's Al-Shabaab and Social Media

Jane's Intelligence Review published in March 2014 a good analysis titled "Hashtag Shabaab: Islamists Develop Sophisticated Online Strategy" by Richard Evans, director in the Intelligence, Security and Risk division of IHS Aerospace, Defence, and Security Consulting.

The author concluded that al-Shabaab and its supporters have developed a broad and sophisticated online communication strategy using multiple social media platforms to reach a global audience.

Al-Shabaab has exploited social media to engage with its supporters, adversaries, and the mainstream media, and has successfully shaped the news agenda through micro-blogging platforms such as Twitter.

However, al-Shabaab faces significant challenges in using social media to directly influence people to support its agenda or attract new recruits.

The full article is only available by subscription or access though a library.

The Nairobi Attack and Al-Shabab's Media Strategy

CTC Sentinel published in its October 2013 edition an article titled "The Nairobi Attack and Al-Shabab's Media Strategy" by Christopher Anzalone, a PhD student in the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University.

The article examines al-Shabaab's media strategy during and immediately after the Westgate Mall attack, both via micro-blogging on Twitter as well as more traditional media formats such as statements from the group's leadership.  It puts the group's media operations in historical context by comparing and contrasting them to al-Shabaab's past media campaigns.  It also offers an assessment of al-Shabaab's current state of health and the potential for more spectacular acts of violence.