Online Identity and Egyptian Youth: Exploring Construction Processes

Abstract

This qualitative study, conducted against the backdrop of Egypt, maps the different processes Egyptian youth use to construct their online identity. The Egyptian society is patriarchal, keenly religious and conservative and youth represent 40 per cent of the population. They are a very important group in society as there are many expectations of them as catalysts of change given their previous role in the Arab Spring. Youth employ a number of processes to construct their online identity including co-construction, selection and use of photographs and sharing content. Building on Goffman’s dramaturgical approach and Leary’s self-presentation tactics, the study looks closer at the online identity construction processes of eighteen Egyptian youth fans of social media influencers and how being a fan manifests itself in online identity presentation. The research questions are addressed through semi-structured interviews. The analysis revealed the various processes fans undertook, highlighted gender differences within some of the construction processes and identified processes which are unique to this part of the world.