Power Conflict: Traditional Governments vs. Social Media
September 30, 2021, 4:00 am

Power Conflict: Traditional Governments vs. Social Media

Dalia Ziada

The recent decision by the Egyptian Tax Authority to apply income taxes on social media influencers is creating a hot debate. A huge number of Egyptians, of all ages and backgrounds, are earning living by creating media content on YouTube and Facebook platforms in particular. There is no solid statistics on how much money they make. But, to put things into perspective, it is important to notice that almost all famous media personalities who worked on traditional television stations for years, have been moving their work to YouTube.

Egypt is not the first country to try to control the social media bloggers, by applying taxes. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is considered a haven to social media influencers from all over the world, applies an income tax on online content creators. In March, UAE Federal Taxation Authority decided to apply an addition value-added-tax (VAT) on the products received by bloggers from outside the country to try and promote on their social media pages.

Even in the United States, where the whole business of social media companies has started, about fifteen years ago, the federal government is taking indirect measures to collect taxes from Youtubers, who work from outside the United States. Earlier this year, the Google-owned YouTube warned content creators that starting July 2021, the company will cut a tax of 24%, due to the US government, from the revenues of the youtubers, especially those working from outside the United States.

Since the beginning of this year, at least, several governments worldwide are taking unprecedented measures to control the growing number of citizens creating media content on social media platforms. This could be easily counted as part of the larger battle, that has been going for at least five years, between social media and traditional governments.

This conflict reached a peak point in 2017-2019, when international campaigns, online and offline, were launched by vague sponsors to encourage young people, who represent the majority of consumers, to boycott social media. These campaigns went as far as claiming that social media platforms can damage mental health and steal lives. At one point, they held social media accountable for letting Trump win the American presidential elections in 2017, claiming that Facebook manipulated the voters.

Ironically, most of those who were advocating for boycotting social media platforms, at that time, are social media rats. They are connected online for their entire waking hours. Their audience and followers knew about them through social media. In fact, if it was not for their intensive, and sometimes intrusive, presence on social media, no one would have noticed they ever existed.

In 2020, those anti-social media campaigns proved to be a big scam when social media platforms became the only way out, for most humans on Planet Earth, during the long quarantine months, imposed by governments to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Literally, people would have gone crazy if they could not communicate with their loved ones, during these tough times. In today's world, social media platforms are the primary source for news and the fastest form of communication. Avoiding social media, in our age, is similar to asking people to be willingly paralyzed and easily controlled.

If there is one thing that democratic and dictator governments may agree on; this thing will be the need to put the brakes on citizen’s use of social media. If there is one thing the majority of citizens worldwide agree on; this thing will be the unlimited power social media has given to them to move the world their way. Personally, I have seen social media empowering women in conservative communities to fight against systemic social and government oppression. I was one of the many young activists, who brought down dictators during the Arab Spring revolutions, by using social media to deliver our message and mobilize supporters. I have also seen social media helping refugees, fleeing Middle East civil wars and terrorism, and saving their lives.

The wide array of conflicting interests between social media owners and users, on one side, versus traditional structures of government, on the other side, has created a vicious cycle that is getting wider and more complicated by the day. However, this ever-evolving conflict is, in essence, a conflict over power between an old system of traditional governments and a new system of uncontrollable content creators on virtual platforms.

BY: Dalia Ziada

UK PM to meet bereaved Covid families group Syria – Counting the Cost

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.