Internet, political mobilisation, and state control in North Africa

Since the Arab Spring, the number of Internet users in North Africa has increased significantly, as have the mechanisms employed by governments to control online activities. Drawing on primary data from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and secondary sources from the scientific literature, this paper argues that the underlying dynamics of Internet use for political mobilisation in North Africa remain largely similar to those observed during the Arab Spring. However, the relative absence of large-scale social protests in the region today can be explained, at least in part, by the strengthening and refinement of state mechanisms for controlling the Internet.