Is the Arab World becoming the new and better Silicon Valley?

In 2011, a wave of protests erupted in countries across the Middle East, including Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, and Syria. Citizens took to the streets, calling for change and an end to corrupt governance. These protesters harnessed technology originating from the West, but what truly set them apart was their innovative use of digital platforms, demonstrating the potential of online content. While it's often argued that social media revolutionized the Middle East, it's worth considering whether the Middle East revolutionized social media.

The internet has always represented a realm of free expression for Arabic speakers, who enthusiastically embraced the opportunities offered by the digital world. However, since the Arab Spring, governments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have taken harsh measures to tighten their control over the internet. They've employed spyware, created fake profiles, and disseminated disinformation through social media. Sakr, a prolific figure in the realms of technology, language, and the body, has contributed significantly to this discourse. She authored 'Arabic Glitch: Techno culture, Data Bodies, and Archives,' published by Stanford University Press in 2023, and currently holds the position of Associate Professor of Media Theory and Practice at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

At UCSB, Sakr co-founded Wireframe, a studio dedicated to advancing collaborative theoretical and creative media practices, with a focus on global social and environmental justice. Her affiliations span multiple departments, including Feminist Studies, Media Arts and Technology, the Centre for Responsible Machine Learning, the Centre for Middle East Studies, and the Centre for Information Technology and Society. Over the past two decades, Sakr has been a prominent advocate for the open-source movement, particularly in the context of Arabic localization. In 2009, she introduced the R-Shief media system, an initiative that went on to archive over 70 billion social media posts in 72 languages, along with the development of software for multi-dimensional data analysis.

Sakr also serves as the Co-Editor for the open-access journal Media Theory and for After Video, published by Open Humanities Press. In addition, she is an editorial board member of Punctum Books, solidifying her influential role in shaping the intersection of technology, culture, and society in the Middle East and beyond.