Social Media and Visual Propaganda: A Comparative Analysis of Facebook Images During Syrian Conflicts

• In Event: The Visual in Politics: Rhetorics, Frames, Effects

Abstract

From Twitter pictures during the Israeli-Hamas conflict in 2012 to graphic Internet videos by the Islamic State of Iraq or al-Sham (ISIS) in 2014, social media platforms have become important channels for spreading propaganda images during conflicts. This study examines the role of visual propaganda in the social media age by analyzing themes, frames, and structural features of images posted on the official Facebook pages of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces. Our results show interesting differences and similarities between the two sides in using images for their propaganda purposes during the recent Syrian conflicts following the popular uprisings in 2011. Our research highlights the importance of updating existing models of propaganda, as active two-way communication between political actors and the mass public has become more common.

Authors

• Hyunjin Seo, U of Kansas

• Husain Ebrahim, U of Kansas