Digital Platforms and Social Transformation in the GCC

Abstract Social media platforms have not only revolutionized media rituals among ordinary people but also prompted researchers across a variety of disciplines to explore their influence on society, politics, culture, economy, and mental health in different regions and contexts. This edited volume critically examines such effects, primarily among the younger generation in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with a specific focus on Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where internet penetration is among the highest in the world. Since Cultivation Theory is widely used in several chapters of this volume, the introduction also discusses the potential of adopting the theory as a framework to measure social media effects. It highlights the similarities and differences between television (the main medium of media effects according to the theory) and social media platforms. It additionally addresses the challenges facing the framework and explores opportunities for its adaptation.