Electronic Begging in Algeria: Persuasive Strategies and Emotional Manipulations Used by the Electronic Beggars. An Analytical Descriptive Study on the Facebook Group’s Tahadou Tahabou, Algeria

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This research aimed to identify the persuasive techniques employed in digital begging across social media platforms, focusing on Facebook due to its popularity in Algerian society. The study aimed to analyze the strategies and tools used by online beggars, using social media posts as the unit of analysis. Classified as a quantitative descriptive-analytical study, it included the Facebook group “Tahadou Tahabou”, selected through participatory observation, with the study conducted from January 1 to January 31, 2024. A content analysis tool was applied to 56 units from the overall research community. The study yielded several general findings that support the hypothesis of prevalent persuasive techniques in digital begging on social media. These include appeals based on the merits of charitable acts, prayers for and gratitude towards donors, and the use of religious texts encouraging generosity, solidarity, and charity. Emotional appeals were ranked last. It was discovered that most of their persuasive techniques prominently featured religious overtones rather than just strategic efforts by activists in digital begging. These techniques prove effective in the Muslim Algerian society, where reminders of charitable virtues can induce embarrassment and emotional pressure, and religious appeals resonate deeply, given the sacred status of religion, which leaves little room for debate. This results in emotional appeals being less impactful compared to other employed methods.