Executive Summary
1
Social Media in Afghanistan
Measuring the usage & perceptions of the Afghan population
Implemented by:
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Executive Summary
The emergence of social media has had a profound impact on communications in Afghanistan. Whilst the majority of users perceive that the
medium presents both issues and opportunities, it’s apparent that social
media is becoming increasingly relevant to the lives of an increasing
number of Afghans. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with technical support of ATR consulting conducted an
in-depth qualitative and quantitative study to examine the typical social
media users in Kabul and six Northern provinces of Afghanistan. The study
investigated why and how social media is used, risks and opportunities for
social media in the context of Afghan culture and how better to engage
with Afghans through this medium. A summary of major findings is as
follows.
Languages in social media
English
62.1%
Dari
30.1%
Pashtu
3.3%
Social media platforms
Facebook 87.8%
Google+
12.9%
Youtube
5.8%
Twitter
3.8%
User with Facebook profile
Men
97.5%
Women
12.9%
Social Media is becoming increasingly relevant in
the lives of Afghan users
Afghan social media users predominantly do so at a moderate to high intensity, with 27.8%1 of users logging on several times a day and 21.3% logging on more than five times per day. Men are more likely to be intensive
users, logging on more frequently and for a greater length of time than
female users. Both male and female users report that the time they spend
on social media has increased from the previous year and 73.6% expect it
to continue to increase. This is typically attributed to an increased capacity
to use social media, and an increased relevance in the lives of users as
more Afghans adopt the medium.
English is the dominant language with which respondents use social
media (62.1% of users), followed by Dari (30.1%), a very small proportion
of users (3.3%) are using Pashtu on social media.
Facebook is by far the dominant social media platform in Afghanistan
with 87.8% of users having a Facebook profile. The next most prominent
platform is Google+ (12.9% of users) followed by Youtube (5.8% of users)
and Twitter (3.8%). Men are notably more likely to have a Facebook profile
than women (97.5% compared to 78.1% of women).
1
A total sample of 1,184 respondents were interviewed
Executive Summary
Despite increasing usage considerable barriers
remain for Afghans to use social media
Barriers to Afghans accessing social media tend to be derived from either
a lack of access, including a lack of electricity or the inability to afford an
internet connection, lack of education (including illiteracy) and/or lack
of capacity to use a smartphone/computer or social media platform, or
cultural restrictions, such as concerns over inappropriate content. Afghan
small-medium sized enterprises have yet to utilize on a large scale the
marketing potential of social media. This is typically attributed to a lack of
capacity, resources, and a lack of familiarity of the Afghan public in being
marketed to in this fashion.
Social Media increases connectedness;
within Afghanistan and abroad
Youth and members of civil society organisations (CSOs) report using
social media as a means to connect and mobilize people, including youth
in other countries. Businessmen typically use social media for connectivity
with suppliers and customers, both in Afghanistan and abroad. Politicians
and the general public both report that social media increases the accessibility of politicians, and their connectivity with their constituents. Journalists benefit from social media’s lack of regulations to both collect and
disseminate information more widely, as well as opportunities to connect
with journalists abroad.
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Barriers to Afghans accessing
social media
lack of electricity
no internet connection
lack of education
lack of capacity
cultural restrictions
Social Media and Connectedness
connect and mobilize people in CSOs
connect suppliers and customers
increases the accessibility of
politicians and connectivity with
their constituents
Journalists collect and disseminate
informations more widely
Social Media plays an important role for both
recreational and non-recreational/civic purposes
Afghans use of social media is quite evenly balanced between social/recreational uses; such as connecting with people, discussing sport, movies
and celebrities, playing games and shopping and ‘non-recreational’/civic
uses of following news, participating in debates, posting political messages and mobilizing people. Men are more civically active on social media
and tend to seek new connections, whilst female users are more reserved
in their online presence; less civically active and more likely to engage
with friends and family and people they already know. Users based in Kabul and in urban areas are more civically/politically active through social
media than users in rural/provincial areas.
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Afghans are moderately trusting of the information
they receive on social media, however remain
mindful of the risks
The majority of Afghan social media users (59.6%) report that they trust
‘somewhat’ the information shared on social media, however there is a
consensus that there are risks involved. Perceptions of risks tend to be
centered on inappropriate content and/or misinformation/propaganda
that has the potential to worsen ethnic or other tensions and fuel conflict.
Users based in Kabul who tend to be the most diverse and the most
intense users of social media are also the most conscious of the risks
involved.
Despite the risks, there is significant potential
for social media to have beneficial outcomes for
Afghanistan
Significant potential
for social media
82.3% of users perceive there are
opportunities for the government of
Afghanistan to engage more with the
population through social media.
The majority of users perceive that social media had a positive impact on
the 2014 election campaign, increasing the connectivity between the candidates and the public, and allowing people who otherwise may not have
been able to be involved the opportunity to participate in the campaign.
82.3% of users perceive there are opportunities for the government of
Afghanistan to engage more with the population through social media.
Overall Afghan social media users perceive that there are significant
opportunities for social media to have a positive impact on their country.
Recurring themes include the opportunities for more Afghans to become
better informed, the increased connectivity and accountability between
politicians and their constituents as well as the potential unifying influence of social media; promoting the achievements of Afghanistan and
national pride.
Recommendations
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Recommendations
Findings of the study strongly suggest the uptake of social media in
Afghanistan is increasing and will continue to do so at an increasing rate.
It is recommended that this study be repeated on a national level with an
expanded sample size to include non-users to obtain a comprehensive
picture of the overall penetration of social media in Afghanistan.
Findings suggest that Afghan social media users are more likely to be
highly educated, politically active and socially mobile, or what could be
referred to as ‘agents of change’ in Afghan culture. Thus social media could be a highly effective means of engaging with this important
demographic group. However any programmatic activity must take into
account that social media users – although increasing – remain a minority in Afghanistan.
Prior to selecting social media as the means with which to engage with
a target population, detailed information on the level of access of that
population should be sought.
Three separate yet interlinked barriers
to accessing social media should be
considered:
Physical access; factors such as the availability of electricity in the
local area or the ability of the target population to afford an internet connection,
Capacity; the presence of the necessary education (including literacy) and technical skills to use the internet and access social media,
Culture; locally specific information on interpretations of what is
considered inappropriate content and how this may impact the
uptake of social media in the local population
Social media use is predominantly confined to the private sphere or
work environment with very little use of public internet facilities (internet
cafés, computers in universities, libraries etc.). The reasons behind this
trend may warrant further investigation to determine whether it is the
result of a lack of such facilities, a lack of familiarity with using social
media in public settings or other cultural issue. Interventions could then
be tailored to increase the availability and usage of public facilities to
increase access to social media.
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Through engaging with politicians, promoting candidates and activities such as participating in online debates, social media facilitates new
ways for Afghans to participate in the political process. Interventions to
increase access may have positive outcomes for the political participation
of groups who otherwise may have fewer opportunities such as women,
youth, certain tribal groups etc. In the long term, social media may also
be a means for such groups to have an increased participation in the
public sphere in general, which may have beneficial social implications.
Mindful strategies necessary
Projects to increase access could thus
be accompanied by education programs
and awareness building programs
regarding ethics and the responsible
use of social media.
However, strategies to increase access to social media need to be
extremely mindful of the potential negative uses of the medium. An
increased proportion of the population using social media may result in
an increased circulation of inflammatory propaganda and a worsening
of existing tensions. Projects to increase access could thus be accompanied by education programs and awareness building programs regarding
ethics and the responsible use of social media.
Engagement strategies need to take into consideration diversity within a
target population, in particular differences between male, female, urban
and rural users. For example the potential implications of the more
‘reserved’ online presence of Afghan women-the lower propensity to
upload photos and move beyond existing social networks-and the lower
propensity of rural users to be politically active must be taken into consideration in the design of interventions.
Strategies to engage with journalists should leverage the strengths of social media over traditional media; in particular the lack of regulation and
the lack of cost. For example the opportunities for increased connections
and diversity of sources could facilitate an increased quality of reportage,
both within Afghanistan and abroad. Whilst the lack of regulation and
‘decentralization’ of control may increase the independence of journalists. However as above, interventions must be mindful of potential negative uses of social media. Thus interventions to improve journalists’ use of
social media could also be accompanied by capacity building in journalistic ethics and standards, such as truthfulness, accuracy and objectivity.
Recommendations
Interventions could target capacity gaps in small-medium enterprises
(SMEs) use of social media effectively to market themselves to customers.
National or international experts could provide online coaching on topics
such as self-promotion, generating likes, generating fresh content, tailored
micro marketing etc. to increase Afghan SMEs ability to capitalize on the
low cost opportunities for marketing offered by social media that are
currently being missed.
Where the local conditions permit, social media could be promoted more
at the provincial and district level as an effective means for politicians
to engage with their constituents and vice versa. Interventions could
highlight the mutually beneficial effects of increased accountability and
increased connectivity social media brings to the political process. This
could be achieved through the identification and training of key ‘focal
points’ in the districts; respected individuals with large networks, such as
teachers, key members of CSOs etc. who could serve as role models for
others in the use of social media to engage with politicians.
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Self-promotion and
micro marketing
Low cost opportunities for marketing
offered by social media.
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Contents
9
Contents
Executive Summary
2
Recommendations
i)
Methodology
ii) Data analysis
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10
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1.
How Afghans use Social Media
1.1. Profile of the typical user
1.2. Frequency of social media usage
1.3. Times of day social media is used
1.4. Locations of social media use
1.5. Most Popular social media platforms in Afghanistan
1.6. Time spent on social media
1.7. Perceived changes in time spent on social media
1.8. Devices used to access social media
1.9. Language used to access social media
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14
14
15
15
15
16
17
17
17
2.
Why Afghans use Social Media
2.1. Most common uses of social media in Afghanistan
2.2. Most discussed topics on Afghan social media
2.3. Uses of social media by target audience
2.3.1. Youth/Members of CSOs
2.3.2. Businessmen
2.3.3. Politicians
2.3.4. Journalists
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20
21
22
22
22
24
25
3.
Issues of Social Media in Afghanistan
3.1. Barriers to accessing social media
3.1.1. Access
3.1.2. Capacity
3.1.3. Culture
3.2. Levels of trust in the information shared on social media
3.3. Risks of social media usage
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28
28
28
28
29
30
4.
Opportunities for Social Media in Afghanistan
4.1. Differences between social and traditional media
4.2. The role of social media in the 2014 presidential elections
4.3. Government engagement through social media
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34
35
36
5.
Annex 1: Training of field staff & quality control
Annex 2: Tables
37
38
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i. Methodology
ATR Consulting developed a comprehensive research methodology to examine the ways in which Afghans use social media, and their perceptions
of the roles, impacts and opportunities of the technology in their country.
Number of Respondents
Respondents
by Provinceby Province
inin%%
Badakhshan
Takhar
11
11
Samangan
Kunduz
11
11
11
11
33
Baghlan
Balkh
Kabul
Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools the following activities were implemented:
Quantitative: A questionnaire including multiple choice and closed-ended
questions to identify the ways in which Afghans use social media, including:
Who uses social media,
How is social media used,
Why is social media used,
Barriers to using social media,
Risks of using social media,
Opportunities for social media.
Qualitative: Six focus group discussions (FGDs) and six key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted to complement the information obtained
through the questionnaire and gain an insight into the uses of social
media by four key target audiences; youth/members of CSO’s, politicians,
businessmen and journalists.
Respondents by Gender, Age & Location
Respondents by Gender, Age & Location
Urban
790
Rural
Quantitative data was collected in six Northern provinces of Balkh,
Kunduz, Baghlan, Takhar, Samangan and Badakhshan as well as in Kabul.
Provinces were selected in conjunction with GIZ for their representativeness of the Afghan population who use social media, and their status as
key focal areas for German-Afghan Development Cooperation activities. In
order to ensure representativeness of the sample, quotas for the different
genders, ages and locations were applied to give an adequate conception
of the diversity of social media users in Afghanistan.
394
Above 31
579
15 -30
605
Male
594
Female
590
0
400
i) Presentation of the sample
800
Methodology | Data analysis
11
A quota was set for a minimum total sample of 1.152, including 384
respondents from Kabul and 128 in each of the six provinces respectively,
a minimum of 384 rural respondents and 768 urban respondents across
all provinces, 576 male respondents and 576 female respondents. Larger
samples in urban areas and in Kabul reflect the higher concentration of
social media users in these areas. Sample sizes allowed for statistically
significant comparisons to be drawn between the usage patterns of different groups. The quota was exceeded slightly with a total sample collected
of 1.184 respondents. In addition to gender, age and location, respondent’s educational attainment and employment status were also recorded.
Respondents
Respondentsby
byEmployment
EmploymentType
Type
in %
Employed
63
Student
11
Unemployed
7
Housewife
3
Retired
0
0
20
40
60
ii) Data analysis
To obtain a comprehensive picture of social media use in Afghanistan,
data was analysed by gender, location (urban/rural, Kabul based/Northern
provinces) and age (15-30/older than 31). All statistics presented in the
report have a confidence level of 95% and a maximum confidence interval
of 5. Margin of errors for each sample group are presented below.
Sample Name
Total Size
Margin of Error (%)
Overall
1.184
2.85
Female
590
4.03
Male
594
4.02
15–30
605
3.98
Above 31
579
4.07
Rural
394
4.94
Urban
790
3.49
Respondents
Respondentsby
byEducational
EducationalAttainment
Attainment
in %
68
University
27
High School
Low Level/
No Education
3
Primary School
2
0
40
80
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Executive Summary
1.
13
How Afghans
use Social Media
In general users tend to be highly educated by Afghan standards,
with 67.9% possessing a university degree and 62.1% speaking
English. The majority of users are employed (63.4%) with a
significant proportion of students (21.6%). The most intensive
users by frequency, duration of use and membership to different
platforms are concentrated in Kabul and other urban areas.
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1. How Afghans use Social Media
1.1. Profile of the typical user
Frequency of Social Media Use: overall
Frequency of Social Media Use: Overall
In general users tend to be highly educated by Afghan standards, with
67.9% possessing a university degree and 62.1% speaking English. The
majority of users are employed (63.4%) with a significant proportion of
students (21.6%). The most intensive users by frequency, duration of use
and membership to different platforms are concentrated in Kabul and
other urban areas.
in %
Several times a dayy
28
Once a dayy
23
More than five times a dayy
18
A few times a weekk
9
Once a weekk
8
Rarelyy
7
I am logged on all dayy
4
w
I don't know
2
0
1.2. Frequency of social media usage
20
40 Men are more likely to be intensive users of social media, being 20.6%
more likely than women to be logged on more than five times per day.
Women predominantly log onto social media once per day. The most
intensive users are more likely to be located outside of Kabul; with users
based in the Northern provinces 12.4% more likely to log on more than
five times per day. A user’s age or location in an urban or rural area was
found to have no significant bearing on the frequency with which they
logged on to social media.
TimesofofDay
day
onSocial
to Social
Times
to to
loglog
on to
Media:Media:
overall overall
in %
21,4
20
15
13,2
14,4
15,0
10,4
9,7
10
5
In general Afghan social media users are frequently logging on and engaging with different platforms. 72% of social media users log on at least
once per day, with 49.1% of total users logging on multiple times every
day.
For more information “Table 1: Frequency of Social Media Use by Gender,
Location & Age” on page <?>.
2,4
0
05:00- 08:00- 12:00- 16:00- 20:00- After I do not
08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 22:00 22:00 know
67.9 %
of social media
users possess a
university degree and
speak English
majority of
users are
employed
62.1 %
(63.4 %)
2
How Afghans use Social Media
1.3. Times of day social media is used
15
Locations
Media
Use:
overall
Locationsof
of Social
Social Media
Use:
Overall
Afghans use of social media is generally consistent throughout the day
with a small peak in the evening between 8pm and 10pm.
in %
At home
73
Office (at work)
1.4. Locations of social media use
The majority of Afghan social media users do so at home (72.9%). This
trend is more pronounced among female users (86.8% compared to 58.9%
of men), whilst men are more likely to use social media at work (26.8%
compared to 10.5% of women). Users in urban areas were also more likely
to use social media at home (72.3% compared to 53.8% of rural users)
whilst users above 30 were more likely to be using social media at work
(28.6% compared to 18.0% of users under 30).
23
In public places
(internet cafes etc.)
5
During commuting
2
Other
1
I do not know
1
0
40
80
For more information “Table 2: Location of Social Media Use: by Gender,
Location & Age” on page 38.
MostPopular
Popular
Social
Media
Platforms:
Most
Social
Media
Platforms:
overall overall
1.5. Most Popular social media platforms
in Afghanistan
Facebook is overwhelmingly the most popular platform in Afghanistan,
with 87.8% of social media users reporting having a Facebook profile.
Google+ is the second most popular platform, with 12.9% of Afghan users,
followed by Youtube and Twitter (5.8% and 3.8% respectively).
Facebook is more widely used by Afghan men than Afghan women (97.5%
compared to 78.1% of women). Men are also more likely to have a Twitter
profile (6.6% compared to 1.0% of women). Women however have a greater presence on Google+ (16.8% compared to 8.8% of men). Users based
in Kabul are the ‘broadest’ users of social media; the most likely to have
profiles on a number of different platforms. None of the users surveyed
reported blogging.
For more information “Table 3: Most Popular Social Media Platforms: by
Gender, Location & Age” on page 38.
in %
88
facebook
13
google+
youtube
6
other
5
twitter
4
whatsapp
2
paywast
2
linkedin
1
instagram
1
blogs
0
0
40
80
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1.6. Time spent on social media
Time
spentonon
Social (weekly):
Media: overall
Time Spent
Facebook
overall
in %
Less than an hour
23,8
1–3 hours
23,8
3–5 hours
12,8
More than 10 hours
10,2
5–10 hours
8,3
7,7
I don't know
0
The largest proportion of Afghan social media users (47.6%) spend less
than three hours logged on to social media1 per week. However a small
proportion (10.2%) are intensive users, spending on average more than
10 hours per week logged on. In addition to logging on more frequently,
Afghan men are more likely to use social media for longer than Afghan
women (14.3% logged on for more than 10 hours per week compared
to 6.1% of women). Urban users are also more likely to spend a greater
amount of time logged on than rural users (12.9% logged on for more than
10 hours a week compared to 4.8% of rural users), whilst users in Kabul
were the most likely to be logged on for more than 10 hours per week.
For more information “Table 4: Time spent on Facebook by Gender, Location & Age” on page <?>.
20
1.7. Perceived changes in time spent on social media
Afghans perceive that they are using social media more than in the past;
Changes
in TimeofSpent
Social Media
compared
with a large
majority
userson(65.1%)
reporting
that they had spent more
to the Previous Year: overall
time this year than the previous year, whilst 14.2% of users reported that
they are using social media less this year.
Changes in Time Spent on Social Media
compared to the Previous Year: overall
in %
More Time
65
Less time
14
The same
amount of time
14
The increase in usage was largely attributed to increased levels of education, increased internet access, an increase in the skill level in using social
media, as well as increased relevance of social media to Afghan society as
a critical mass of users develop in some areas.
7
I don't know
0
20
40
60
‘My usage of Social Media has increased a lot in the
past five years because I need it more now than I did
in the
past, also
now I inhave
more
onover
how
Anticipated
Changes
Timegained
Spent on
Socialskills
Media
theit.’
next Year: overall
to use
Journalist – Mazar-e Sharif
Anticipated Changes in Time Spent on Social
Media over the next Year: overall
‘Now the people of Afghanistan realize that social media has an important role in Afghanistan and that it is
so helpful and that in the next five years users of social
Youth – Mazar-e Sharif
media will increase.’
in %
More Time
74
I don‘t know
10 The same
amount of time
9
Less time
7
0
20
40
60
1
Sample sizes for users of social media platforms other than Facebook did not yield sufficient sample sizes
to make statistically significant comparisons between results. However as Facebook represents the overwhelming majority of social media use in Afghanistan, time on Facebook is taken as representative of time
spent on social media overall in Afghanistan.
2
How Afghans use Social Media
This trend is widely expected to continue, with 73.6% of users perceiving
that they will use social media more next year than they do currently.
17
Devices used to access social media
1.8. Devices used to access social media
Smartphones are the predominant means to access social media in Afghanistan (76.0% of users) followed by personal computers (28.4%). The
prominence of smart phones reflects the wider trend of the exponential
expansion in mobile phone penetration in Afghanistan since 20012. Other
factors such as difficulties surrounding accessing fixed line infrastructure and various aid programs targeting the expansion of mobile phone
services may have further contributed to the prominence of smartphones
in accessing social media.
A very small portion of users (3%) access social media on public computers
(internet café, university, library etc.). This is likely derived in part from a
lack of such facilities, but may also be indicative of a cultural lack of familiarity with the concept of using social media in public.
Men are more likely than women to access social media on a
smartphone (81.5% compared to 70.5% of women) whilst women are the most likely to use a personal computer (31.0% compared to 25.8% of men). Smartphones are also more prevalent
amongst users under the age of 30 (84.3% compared to 68.1%
of users over 30) and users in rural areas (64.2% compared to
32.4% of urban users).
For more information “Table 5: Devices used to access Social Media: by
Gender, Location & Age” on page 39.
1.9. Language used to access social media
English is the most common language to access social media in Kabul and
the Northern provinces (62.1%3 of users) followed by Dari (30.1%), whilst
a much smaller proportion of users are accessing social media in Pashtu
(3.3%).
Men are more likely to access social media in English (73.1% compared
to 51.0% of female users), whilst women are more likely to be accessing
social media in Dari (39.7% compared to 20.5% of male users). Social media use in English is also far more prevalent in users based in Kabul, urban
areas and under 30 years of age.
For more information “Table 6: Languages used to access Social Media: by
Gender, Location & Age” on page 39 .
2
3
Language used
to to
access
Social
Media:
overall overall
Language
used
access
Social
Media:
in %
62,1
English
Dari/Persian
30,1
Pashtu
3,3
Urdu
0,8
Other
0,4
French
0,2
0
20
40
60
Altai Consulting 2010 ‘Afghan Media in 2010’ p35
Crosschecking this finding against a review of Afghan social media suggests this figure may be over-reported, particularly for Facebook where Dari is more common, Twitter is predominantly used in English
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2.
Why Afghans use
Social Media
Connection with family and friends is the most common use
of social media for Afghans followed by making new connections. Although the predominant uses of social media could
be described as either social or entertainment, a significant
proportion of Afghan users use social media for ‘non-entertainment’ purposes including; following news, engaging in
debates, reporting abuses of human rights and corruption
and posting political messages.
20
2. Why Afghans use Social Media
2.1. Most common uses of social media in Afghanistan
Most
Uses
of Social
Media:
overall overall
MostCommon
Common
Uses
of Social
Media:
Connection with family and friends is the most common use of social
media for Afghans followed by making new connections. Although the
predominant uses of social media could be described as either social or
entertainment, a significant proportion of Afghan users use social media
for ‘non-entertainment’ purposes including; following news, engaging in
debates, reporting abuses of human rights and corruption and posting
political messages.
in %
Family & Friends
News
New connections
Photos
Following individuals
There are some notable differences between the ways men and women
surveyed use social media. Men are far more likely to use social media to
post photos and make new connections. Whilst women are less ‘outgoing’
with their online presence, (i.e. connecting with new people outside their
existing social network) with a lower proportion of female users posting
photos (37.8% compared to 68.9% of men) and making new connections
(33.7% compared to 75.8%). Whilst Afghan men engage with people
they know as well as seeking to make new connections, Afghan women
appear to predominantly be using social media to engage with people they
already know.
Browsing products
Debates
Following groups
Reporting on HR & corruption
Mobilizing people
Organizing events
Political messages
Games
0
20
40
60
Men are also much more likely to use social media to follow news (72.7%
compared to 39.2% of women) and engage in what could be described as
the ‘political’ uses of social media, including; engaging in debates, mobilizing people, reporting corruption and human rights abuses and posting
political messages.
Urban and Kabul-based users have the greatest diversity in their usage of
social media; more active in both the civic/political and recreational uses.
A user’s age was found to have no significant bearing on why they used
social media.
+68 % men
post photos on social media
compared 37.8% of women
+33 % women
make new connections of
social media compared
68.9% of male user
2
Why Afghans use Social Media
21
Usesof
of Social
Social Media:
byby
gender
Uses
Media:
gender
in %
2.2. Most discussed topics on Afghan social media
In keeping with the dominant reasons for Afghans using social media,
sport and celebrities were found to be the most discussed topics (39.7% of
users) closely followed by domestic politics (38.5%). A notable proportion
of users also discuss games and movies, the insurgency and issues specific
to their local community.
In addition participants reported that social media is frequently used as a
platform to discuss the achievements of Afghanistan, and various stories
that are seen to contribute to patriotism, the country’s unification and
development.
Products
Political messages
Reporting on HR & corruption
Mobilizing people
Organizing events
Following groups
Following individuals
Debates
News
‘We share topics regarding peace and the country
being united.’
Politician – Kabul
‘We collect and share information on Islam,
the economy, Afghan culture and history etc.’
Youth – Mazar-e Sharif
With the exception of sport and celebrities - which men are far more likely
to be discussing (50.7% compared to 28.6% of female users) - Afghan
men and women are largely discussing the same topics on social media.
Kabul-based and urban users are slightly more likely to be discussing domestic politics on social media (48.6% and 46.5% compared to 33.5% and
37.1% of Northern Provinces and rural users respectively). A user’s age was
found to have no significant bearing on topics being discussed.
For more information “Table 7: Most Discussed Topics on Social Media by
Gender, Location & Age” on page 40.
39.7%
of social media users discuss
sports and celebrities
38.8%
of users discuss politics
Games
New connections
Photos
Family & Friends
0
20
Male
40
60
80
Female
Most discussed Topics on Afghan Social Media: overall
Most discussed Topics on Afghan Social Media: overall
in %
40
Sport and celebrities
39
Domestic politics
Games/movies
9
Community issues
9
Insurgency
9
4
I do not know
Economy
3
Foreign Affairs
3
Other
1
Justice issues
1
0
20
40
www.ez-afghanistan.de
22
2.3. Uses of social media by target audience
Four key target audiences; youth/members of Civil Society Organizations
(CSOs), businessmen, politicians and journalists were asked to elaborate
on the specific ways they use social media in their respective occupations.
2.3.1. Youth/Members of CSOs
The majority of youth respondents reported that they use social media to
receive and share information. This was frequently connected to education
and study (including practicing English), however also included themes
such as religion and politics. Participants also reported that social media
allowed them to connect with politicians. Members of CSOs reported
using social media to receive information, connect with groups in different
countries, publicize their campaigns and mobilize their members.
‘I use social media for my university lessons;
social media also paves the way for youth to reach
politicians.’
Youth/CSO Member – Mazar-e Sharif
‘I read about international issues, educational topics,
cultural topics and Islamic topics on social media and
share this information with my friends.’
Youth – Mazar-e Sharif
‘I am a member of civil society and I use social media.
I use Facebook and Google+ for receiving educational
information, and I also connect with the different
groups. We also share Islamic information.’
Youth/CSO Member – Kabul
2.3.2. Businessmen
Afghan businesses are using social media to make connections on both
the demand and supply of their enterprises. On the supply side social
media is used to establish and maintain relationships with suppliers,
as well as to keep abreast of developments in other countries. On the
demand side, social media is used to engage with customers, to promote
the philosophy and activities of the business and to publicize special offers
and promotions etc. For small-medium sized enterprises, it appears there
is yet to be a widespread take-up of marketing through social media;
larger firms - particularly those in the communication technology and
employment sectors- already market extensively through social media.
2
Why Afghans use Social Media
23
For example telecommunications companies MTN, Roshan Connects
and Etisalat Wireless each have more than 100,000 fans on Facebook1.
Whilst employment websites Jobs in Afghanistan and Wazifa each have
approximately 65,000 fans2. Regarding the marketing activities of smaller
enterprises, participants reported a lack of knowledge, a lack of resources,
declining market conditions leaving less resources available to dedicate to
marketing and the lack of familiarity of the Afghan public of being marketed to through this medium as impediments to more Afghan businesses
using social media.
‘Social media is useful in any field of business. In
foreign countries they perform all kinds of businesses on social media, for example here we sell cars via
Facebook, we post images of the car and find customers this way.’
Businessman – Kunduz
‘We are a medium sized business and are not at the
stage of advertising our products on Facebook, however we have made many beneficial contacts.’
Businessman – Kunduz
‘We realized we needed wider communication with
different countries, Pakistan, Iran and others so we
realized we needed to use social media. We need to
know about the prices of different items, because
these are groceries that we are importing, we need
to exact prices that day, so now we are using social
media and when prices go up and down we get this
information directly.’
Businessman – Kabul
‘We have a Facebook page for the business but we
don’t know how to promote it or how to generate
more likes.’
Businessman – Kabul
1
2
Socialbakers 2014 ‘Afghanistan Facebook Statistics’ retrieved from
http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/afghanistan
ibid
www.ez-afghanistan.de
24
2.3.3. Politicians
Politicians in Afghanistan have embraced social media as a means to
engage with their constituents. This includes through activities such as
campaigning, publicizing different initiatives and achievements, and mobilizing support. Both leading Presidential candidates Dr. Abdullah Abdullah
and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai maintain an active social media presence.
Each candidate has a Facebook page with more than 350,000 fans, and
both are regular users of twitter to engage with and mobilize supporters. Politicians also regard the two-way flow of communication through
social media as vital for remaining connected to their constituents, being
aware of their concerns and responsive to their needs. Several politicians
maintain an active personal presence, posting items such as poems and
personal images to build their profile. Politicians also saw social media as
a useful means to connect with other politicians, both in Afghanistan and
abroad.
‘I don’t always have time to use social media myself
because I am busy with people, but the staff of the
Ministry use it every day to engage with people. The
engagement is two-way and people can contact
me through social media, especially people such as
women and youth that otherwise wouldn’t be able to
contact me.’
Politician – Kabul
‘We use social media to spread messages of unity, to
bring peace and to mobilize the people, to encourage
youth to be active and to pursue an education, to improve themselves. We also use social media to impress
the local people with our achievements.’
Politician - Kunduz
2
Why Afghans use Social Media
25
2.3.4. Journalists
Journalists in Afghanistan have embraced the use of social media, and rely
on it heavily for both receiving and disseminating information. The lack of
restrictions and government regulations on social media is seen as highly
beneficial to freedom of information, while the ability to access different
sources and the lack of cost is seen to improve the quality of reportage.
Some journalists also report the degree of anonymity that social media
users enjoy allows them to publish information they would not be able to
in the traditional media for fear of reprisal. Journalists also report using
social media to connect with journalists and organizations in other
countries.
Many traditional media outlets have also embraced the use of social
media, with virtually every major TV and radio outlet maintaining an
active twitter account, whilst a lesser proportion maintain a presence
on Facebook.
‘In general I publish my reports on social media, as
well as other useful information. Officials monitor
what is posted, and sometimes they react. For example
a few days ago a traffic vehicle was attacked by some
unknown people, we reported the incident on Facebook and local officials reacted and conducted an
operation in the area.’
Journalist – Kunduz
‘There are opportunities for social media in every profession, for journalists we can receive more information with less costs, this helps us in improving in our
jobs. We can give the right information to the people
via social media without restrictions.’
Journalist – Kunduz
‘We can share all kinds of messages via social media,
like development, reconstruction etc. We contact people via social media and we share important messages
with each other. We can publish all kinds of reports
on social media and it makes our lives easier because
there are no restrictions. Social media improves
the information flows and the connections between
people.’
Journalist – Mazar-e Sharif
www.ez-afghanistan.de
3
3.
Issues of Social Media
in Afghanistan
The emergence of social media in Afghanistan has been
accompanied by certain issues, such as barriers to Afghans
accessing platforms, and real and perceived risks, on both
an individual and collective level of using social media.
28
3. Issues of Social Media
in Afghanistan
3.1. Barriers to accessing social media
Barriers to using Social Media: overall
Barriers to using Social Media: overall
in %
Can’t afford internet connection
18
Can’t afford device
9
No electricity
7
The largest perceived barrier to accessing social media is not being able to
afford an internet connection. Other notable barriers include not being
able to afford a smartphone, computer or other device to access the internet and not having electricity1.
Inappropriate content
0
Participants of Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews
expressed that there are several different dimensions to the barriers preventing Afghans using social media that can be categorized as pertaining
to access, culture and capacity.
No interest
0
3.1.1. Access
Don’t know how to use device
0
I don’t know
0
Access refers to those economic, developmental or other issues that
prevent Afghans accessing social media. For example the lack of electricity
and communications infrastructure as well as the costs associated with
accessing the internet is cited by many as barriers to more Afghans using
social media. Business owners also cite the recent economic downturn
coinciding with the uncertainty surrounding the 2014 elections and ISAF
troop withdrawal as the reason for businesses not having the resources to
dedicate to social media.
No time
5
Forbidden to use it
2
0
20
3.1.2. Capacity
Capacity refers to a lack of technical skills and knowledge to use social
media, with lack of education/illiteracy a barrier for many Afghans. The
business sector also cites a lack of knowledge and relevant technical
skills as a reason more small and medium enterprises don’t market more
through social media.
3.1.3. Culture
Culture refers to issues where the topics discussed or content shared on
social media is not compatible with dominant Afghan sensibilities.
1
Note that the survey was administered to people who self-identified as social media users, non-users were
not interviewed, thus respondents were asked what things in the past had been barriers to them using
social media, and what they were perceived were barriers for others
3
Issues of Social Media in Afghanistan
Cultural issues also refer to factors specific to the Afghan context that
impede the uptake of social media. For example one politician remarked
that there are some politicians that could not create a profile for themselves on social media, as their involvement in the civil war meant that
they had many enemies who would sabotage their online presence.
29
Trust in the Information shared on Social Media: overall
Trust in the Information shared on Social Media: Overall
in %
Somewhat
60
Yes
‘Still many people don’t have access to social media
because of insecurity, poverty and illiteracy.’
Journalist – Kunduz
‘Many people are very resistant to change, they think
that the language on social media is bad as well as
the content. Also people who were involved in the civil
war cannot use social media, they know that
if
they have a high profile then people will name them
as murderers and warlords.’
Politician – Kabul
21
No
9
I do not know
1
0
20
40
60
‘Frequently there are issues with the government , we
receive notices from the Ministry telling us to block
certain websites, for example not long ago there was a
video on Youtube about the Prophet, and Youtube was
blocked for a certain time, this was worldwide and
lasted several months.’
Businessman – Kabul
3.2. Levels of trust in the information shared
on social media
Afghan users have a moderate level of trust in the information circulated
on social media. The majority of users (59.6%) report that they trust the
information they see on social media ‘somewhat’, whilst 21.4% report that
they trust fully the information they see. Not completely trusting information on social media was largely attributed to an awareness of the potential misuses and impunity; that anyone could say whatever they liked.
A user’s gender, location and age was found to have no significant bearing
on their reported levels of trust.
+59%
of social media users
trust the information
they see on social media
+21%
of social media users fully
trust the information they
see on social media
www.ez-afghanistan.de
30
Perceptions
of Social
being
a Risk:
overall
Using Social Media
poses Media
a Risk for
Afghans:
overall
I don't agree
50
I agree completely
16
I don't know
4
0
20
Afghan social media users are mindful that there may be risks involved,
with 45.5% either agreeing or agreeing ‘somewhat’ with the statement
that using social media poses a risk.
Perceptions of risk are largely consistent between male and female users.
Interestingly Kabul based users who tend to use a greater number of platforms for a greater variety of purposes also have the highest conception of
risk (27.4% of respondents).
29
I agree somewhat
3.3. Risks of social media usage
40
60
For more information “Table 8: Social Media is a Risk: by Gender, Location
& Age” on page 40.
Perceptions of risk tend to be centered around inappropriate content,
harmful cultural influences and the potential for social media to be divisive and fuel conflict. A recurring theme is the potential for social media
to be used to spread misinformation that may advance negative ethnic or
religious stereotypes and fuel existing and/or reignite historical conflicts.
Also mentioned is the fear that the exposure to excessive external influences facilitated by social media will result in a gradual erosion of Afghan
culture and traditions, especially among the youth.
In addition journalists cite a risk threat of backlash against them for posting certain content on social media.
‘Recently there have been a lot of political discussions
on social media, many things were written that should
not have been because they fuel conflicts between the
people.’
Youth – Kabul
‘Some people use Facebook to disseminate inappropriate news and hurtful videos. These have bad effects
on the minds of youths, in our country we have laws
to regulate these things but their implementation is
weak.’
Journalist – Kunduz
3
Issues of Social Media in Afghanistan
‘It can be very damaging in a situation where social
media is used to increase the bias and hatred between
two tribes, language groups or religious groups.
Social media can allow these bad messages to spread.’
Journalist – Mazar-e Sharif
31
Risks
of Social Media Afghans are most concerned
Risks of Social Media Afghans are most concerned about: overall
about: overall
in %
26
Invasion of privacy
21
Bad influence on youth
Specifically regarding the types of risks, Afghans are most concerned
about invasions of privacy (25.8%) followed by a potential bad influence
on youth (21.0%). Inappropriate content and misinformation/propaganda
are also notable concerns (18.3% and 16.4% respectively).
There are several notable differences in perceptions of risk between male
and female social media users. Male users are significantly more concerned about invasions of privacy (32.2% compared to 11.7% of female
users), whilst female users are predominantly concerned with social media
being a bad influence on youth and a distraction from work/study.
Perceptions of risk also differ significantly between locations. Kabul-based
and urban users are the most likely to be concerned about inappropriate
content, online scams and harmful influences on the youth. Whilst users
outside of Kabul are far more likely to be concerned about misinformation
and propaganda. A user’s age was found to have no significant bearing on
perceptions of risk.
For more information “Table 9: Perceptions of Risks of Social Media by
Location & Age” on page 40
18
Inappropriate content
Misinformation/Propaganda
16
Distraction from work/study
16
11
Scams/online crime
2
I do not know
2
Other
0
20
Risks of Social Media: by gender
Risks of Social Media: by gender
in %
I do not know
Other
Distraction from work/study
Bad influence on youth
Scams/online crime
Misinformation/Propaganda
Inappropriate content
Invasion of privacy
0%
20%
Male
Female
www.ez-afghanistan.de
4.
Opportunities
for Social Media
in Afghanistan
Afghans perceive several key differences between
social and traditional media (television, radio, and
printed media) that carry with them risks but also
opportunities. The ‘decentralized’ nature of social
4
media and the lack of government control are
commonly seen as one of the most significant
differences. The potential for the two way flow of
information (for example between politicians and
their constituents or between suppliers and their
customers) is also seen as key. A recurring theme
among participants was that the control of
traditional media is concentrated in the hands
of a few, and is vulnerable to manipulation by
external sources. Whilst the costs associated with
advertising/engaging through traditional media
were prohibitive for the majority of Afghans.
34
4. Opportunities for
Social Media in Afghanistan
4.1. Differences between social and traditional media
Afghans perceive several key differences between social and traditional
media (television, radio, and printed media) that carry with them risks but
also opportunities. The ‘decentralized’ nature of social media and the lack
of government control are commonly seen as one of the most significant
differences. The potential for the two way flow of information (for example between politicians and their constituents or between suppliers and
their customers) is also seen as key. A recurring theme among participants
was that the control of traditional media is concentrated in the hands of
a few, and is vulnerable to manipulation by external sources. Whilst the
costs associated with advertising/engaging through traditional media
were prohibitive for the majority of Afghans.
Some participants noted that social media was only effective in areas
where a high proportion of the population were educated. Whereas in
other areas, television and radio were still the most effective means of
reaching the people.
‘Social media is under the control of the individual,
each person can say what he or she wishes.’
Journalist – Kabul
‘It is possible to access social media anywhere, but
for traditional media most people don’t have access.
Social media allows people to share their own topics
but traditional media is controlled by only a few people.
Traditional media needs TV, time, space and power etc.
whereas social media can be accessed anywhere by
anyone.’
Youth – Kabul
‘Social Media works in areas where there is education,
in other areas the TV is the most useful means of
reaching the people. The radio is also useful in some
areas. Traditional media is the most useful in these
cases but the issue is that the engagement is only one
way. People cannot engage with the government
through traditional media.’
Politician - Kabul
4
Opportunities for Social Media in Afghanistan
35
4.2. The role of social media in the 2014 presidential
elections in Afghanistan
In general Afghan social media users perceive the technology played a
positive role on the 2014 Presidential election campaign. By facilitating
the increased sharing of information, increased engagement between
politicians and the public and providing new ways for people to campaign
and show support for candidates, social media had a significant impact on
the nature of the campaign in 2014. Some participants reported that for
security or other reasons, they would not support their preferred candidate publically, but that social media had provided an avenue for them to
participate in the campaign process. However the negative role of social
media in spreading misinformation and fuelling conflict during the
campaign was also noted.
‘Social media played a very positive role in the
elections because each minute reports were available
to the people, people could express their ideas, share
information and young people could connect with
their favorite candidates and ask them questions.’
Youth – Mazar-e Sharif
‘Social media played a very positive role in the
elections; it allowed people to campaign for their
own candidates without the interference of the
government.’
Youth – Kabul
www.ez-afghanistan.de
36
4.3. Government engagement through social media
The Government of Afghanistan should use
Social Media more to engage with the public:
The Government of Afghanistan should use Social
overall
Media
more to engage with the public: Overal
in %
I agree completely
48
I agree somewhat
34
I don't agree
10
I don't know
7
0
10
+82%
20
30
Supportive or somewhat
supportive of Government
of Afghanistan Social Media
engagement
40
50
Afghan users are supportive of the government using social media more to
engage with the population, with a total of 82.3% reporting that were supportive or somewhat supportive. A user’s gender, location and age had no
significant bearing on levels of support for increased government engagement. Currently the government presence is largely limited to individual
politicians. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior Sediq Sediqqi
maintains a twitter account that is updated regularly (1-2 times per week),
whilst various government institutions such as the Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) maintain twitter pages that are not regularly updated
(1-2 times per month).
Afghans perceive there to be significant opportunities for social media
use to increase, with beneficial outcomes for the country in the future.
Opportunities for increased connectivity between people in different
areas, increased connectivity between leaders and the public and potential
for increased unification and national pride are recurring themes. Afghans
also see an education potential in social media and opportunities for more
Afghans to become better informed. There is also the perception that
Afghan businesses have an opportunity to capitalize on the new low cost
ways to engage with customers, further facilitated by the tendency of
Afghans to adopt new communication technologies quickly.
‘Social media can be used in any place at any time,
there is more freedom to it, and it is the bridge that
builds relationships between people around the
country and in different countries.’
Journalist – Kunduz
‘We should work to expand social media until all
people of Afghanistan receive information about
security, the economy and culture etc. We receive
information from our social networks about our
world and the things that are important in life.’
Youth – Mazar-e Sharif
Annex 1
37
Annex 1:
Training of field staff &
quality control
i) Training of and support to surveyors and field researchers
Quantitative data was collected by two male and two female surveyors in
Kabul and one surveyor of each gender in the respective Northern provinces. Prior to commencing data collection all surveyors were given four
days of training.
Qualitative Data was collected by experienced field researchers including
ATR permanent staff.
Day 1 Theoretical training, including a presentation of ATR, GIZ, the Social media study and overall
research objectives, an introduction to social media in Afghanistan, and an exercise on the
different roles social media may play in Afghan culture
Day 2 Practical exercises on how to administer data collection tools, role-plays to simulate different
circumstances likely to be encountered during data collection. Means of increasing willingness
to participate means to address normative responses and a review of the finer points of data
collection methodologies.
Day 3 Practical training focusing on piloting the questionnaire, addressing issues and consolidating
lessons learned
Day 4 Sharing experiences from the pilot and solidifying lessons learned, coding of questionnaires,
monitoring and quality assurance measures, reporting requirements
ii) Quality control
To ensure data was of an acceptable quality a comprehensive program of
monitoring activities accompanied data collection. Monitors travelled to
each province under study and conducted unannounced field visits and
‘spot checks’ during data collection. Monitors compiled reports on data
collection activities in all provinces, took photos and where feasible voice
recordings of data collection, providing daily updates to Research Team
Leaders in Kabul. In addition, after the completion of data collection,
Monitoring Officers called at random approximately 10% of total respondents to verify that they had been interviewed, crosscheck responses and to
obtain feedback on surveyor performance.
Field Researchers took photos, full audio recordings and transcripts of all
FGDs and KIIs conducted. In addition monitors contacted approximately
15% of FGD participants to further verify that they had been interviewed
and obtain feedback on field researcher performance.
www.ez-afghanistan.de
38
Annex 2:
Tables
Table 1: Frequency of Social Media Use by Gender, Location & Age
in%
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
Rarely
10.7
Once a week
14.9
4.2
7.4
7.5
8.2
7.1
7.4
7.4
1.5
10.7
7.0
6.1
9.2
7.1
9.3
6.3
12.1
8.1
9.7
13.3
7.2
11.4
6.9
Once a day
29.0
16.8
22.6
23.0
22.8
23.0
21.8
24.0
Several times a day
25.8
29.8
26.1
28.6
30.4
26.5
26.8
28.8
More than five times a day
7.5
28.1
18.3
17.6
9.5
21.9
18.8
16.8
I am logged on all day
2.5
4.5
3.3
3.7
6.4
2.1
3.5
3.6
I don't know
2.5
2.4
3.3
2.0
1.5
2.9
2.6
2.2
A few times a week
15 -30 Above 30
Table 2: Location of Social Media Use: by Gender, Location & Age
in %
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
15 -30 Above 30
Office (at work)
10.5
26.8
17.0
16.8
19.7
25.2
18.0
28.6
At home
86.8
58.9
53.8
72.3
79.3
70.9
80.0
66.1
In public places
1.0
8.2
3.3
4.8
6.4
3.8
6.2
3.1
During commuting
0.8
3.0
0.3
2.3
4.1
0.9
2.6
1.3
Other:
0.0
1.7
2.5
1.3
2.6
0.0
1.4
0.3
I do not know
0.0
0.0
0.5
0.3
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
I am logged on all day
2.5
4.5
3.3
3.7
6.4
2.1
3.5
3.6
I don't know
2.5
2.4
3.3
2.0
1.5
2.9
2.6
2.2
Table 3: Most Popular Social Media Platforms: by Gender, Location & Age
in%
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
78.1
97.5
91.6
85.9
80.1
91.7
91.4
84.1
1.0
6.6
3.0
4.2
7.4
2.0
4.1
3.5
Linkedin
0.5
1.7
1.0
1.1
2.3
0.5
1.2
1.0
Google+
16.8
8.8
12.4
13.2
18.9
10.0
13.1
12.8
Youtube
5.9
5.7
2.5
7.5
14.3
1.6
6.8
4.8
Paywast
0.3
2.7
1.5
1.5
2.8
0.9
1.5
1.6
Instagram
0.5
0.8
0.3
0.9
1.8
0.1
0.7
0.7
Whatsapp
1.4
2.7
1.0
2.5
4.9
0.6
2.1
1.9
Blogs
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Other
5.8
3.4
2.5
7.8
15.9
1.6
3.0
10.9
Facebook
Twitter
15 -30 Above 30
Annex 2
39
Table 4: Time spent on Facebook by Gender, Location & Age
in%
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
Less than an hour
23.4
24.2
27.4
22.0
10.7
30.3
26.9
20.6
1-3 hours
19.5
28.1
28.7
21.4
17.4
27.0
26.1
21.4
3-5 hours
12.9
12.8
14.5
12.0
15.6
11.5
13.9
11.7
5-10 hours
5.6
10.9
5.3
9.7
13.0
5.9
6.1
10.5
More than 10 hours
6.1
14.3
4.8
12.9
18.2
6.3
8.8
11.7
I don't know
15 -30 Above 30
10.8
4.5
9.9
6.6
3.8
9.6
8.1
7.3
I am logged on all day
2.5
4.5
3.3
3.7
6.4
2.1
3.5
3.6
I don't know
2.5
2.4
3.3
2.0
1.5
2.9
2.6
2.2
Table 5: Devices used to access Social Media: by Gender, Location & Age
in%
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
15 -30 Above 30
Smartphone
70.5
81.5
64.2
32.4
65.7
81.1
84.3
68.1
Personal computer
31.0
25.8
13.5
31.5
46.0
19.7
25.2
31.4
Public computer
1.2
5.2
1.0
3.4
6.4
1.6
3.6
2.8
Tablet
0.7
0.8
0.0
2.0
3.1
0.8
1.0
2.0
Table 6: Languages used to access Social Media: by Gender, Location & Age
in%
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
15 -30 Above 30
English
51.0
73.1
39.8
65.2
71.9
57.3
72.4
52.2
Dari/Persian
39.7
20.5
34.8
42.8
9.0
40.5
27.3
47.6
Pashtu
1.9
4.7
0.0
3.8
7.2
1.4
2.8
3.8
French
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.3
0.5
0.0
0.2
0.3
Urdu
0.3
1.2
0.0
1.0
2.0
0.1
1.0
0.5
Other
0.0
0.8
0.0
0.6
1.3
4.3
0.7
0.2
www.ez-afghanistan.de
40
Table 7: Most Discussed Topics on Social Media by Gender, Location & Age
in%
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
15 -30 Above 30
Sport and celebrities
28.6
50.7
46.3
36.4
37.8
45.2
42.1
37.4
Entertainment
12.7
5.9
6.6
10.6
9.4
9.9
10.7
7.9
Domestic politics
35.4
41.6
48.6
33.5
37.1
46.5
39.9
37.2
Insurgency
13.6
3.5
12.3
6.7
7.6
10.5
9.0
8.1
Economy
4.4
1.3
0.8
3.9
4.3
2.8
3.1
2.6
Foreign Affairs
2.9
2.4
5.4
1.3
0.8
3.5
2.6
2.6
Community issues
7.1
10.1
16.9
4.5
4.1
11.5
8.1
9.1
Justice issues
1.0
0.7
0.3
1.1
0.8
1.0
0.5
1.2
Other
0.0
2.2
3.3
0.0
0.0
1.6
1.4
0.8
I don’t know
6.6
0.8
5.4
2.9
4.6
3.4
3.6
3.8
Table 8: Social Media is a Risk: by Gender, Location & Age
in%
Female
Male
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
No
51.9
47.6
58.6
45.3
32.0
58.5
51.2
48.2
Somewhat
27.6
30.5
25.4
30.9
36.6
25.3
30.7
27.3
Yes
16.6
16.2
10.4
19.4
27.4
11.0
14.2
18.7
3.2
5.2
5.6
3.5
2.3
5.2
3.6
4.8
I don't know
15 -30 Above 30
Table 9: Perceptions of Risks of Social Media by Location & Age
in%
Rural
Urban
Kabul
North
15 -30 Above 30
15 -30 Above 30
Invasion of privacy
28.2
27.8
23.8
26.9
28.8
23.0
42.1
Inappropriate content
12.7
24.6
33.2
11.0
19.7
17.0
10.7
7.9
Misinformation/Propaganda
17.5
16.1
7.2
20.9
15.5
17.2
39.9
37.2
Scams/online crime
10.2
14.2
18.2
7.9
11.9
10.7
9.0
8.1
Bad influence on youth
19.3
26.5
31.5
15.9
21.1
21.0
8.1
9.1
Distraction from work/study
16.8
21.3
20.5
14.1
19.7
12.9
0.5
1.2
37.4
Other
4.1
2.5
1.0
2.0
1.7
1.7
1.4
0.8
I do not know
1.5
3.2
4.9
1.1
1.7
3.0
3.6
3.8
41
Photo credits: All photos © GIZ,
except page 12/13 and 26/27 © ATR Consulting
www.ez-afghanistan.de
Published by
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
(GIZ) GmbH
Registered Offices Bonn and Eschborn, Germany
Editor
ATR Consulting
Design
Barbara Reuter | barbarareuter-grafik@web.de
Photo credits
© GIZ, ATR Consulting
Contact
GIZ Office Kabul
Epr-unit-afghanistan@giz.de
Iwww.ez-afghanistan.de
For questions on the methodology please contact
ATR Consulting | contact@atr-consulting.com
As of June 2014