Digital Diplomacy and Lebanon’s most connected

Digital Diplomacy and Lebanon’s most connected

Earlier in November, Portland released How the Middle East Tweets – the most comprehensive map to date of Twitter connectivity between influencers across the Middle East. By analysing influencers across the region, Portland was able to rank top users in terms of how many other key tweeters in the Middle East follow them.

How the Middle East Tweets was run between July and September 2012. The original findings of How the Middle East Tweets can be found here.

Today, speaking at an event on digital diplomacy in Beirut, Portland’s Jimmy Leach reveals further findings from the study.

The research found that Saad Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister, is the most connected Twitter user in the country. Not only is Hariri followed by over 215,000 people on Twitter, he is also connected to nearly 100 other key influencers tracked by Portland’s study.

In second place is the Arab-British journalist Sherine Tadros, closely followed by current Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

A list of the top 50 most connected Twitter users in Lebanon can be found below.

The study also reveals that:

  • One in ten of the Middle East’s most connected Twitter users are based in Lebanon
  • #Lebanon was one of the most commonly-used hashtags among the most connected in the Middle East, along with #Bahrain and #Syria
  • Nearly three quarters of Lebanon’s most connected Twitter users are from the media
  • Organisations are far more active on Twitter in Lebanon than in the region
  • Egypt’s Twitter users have the most connections in the region, followed closely by those in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon

Jimmy Leach, Senior Digital Advisor at Portland, said: “Public diplomacy is now digital by default. Any government wishing to talk to the citizens and governments of foreign countries would do so through digital means, most often using social media.”

The event, at the American University of Beirut, is focused on digital diplomacy and the use of social media by governments. The discussion will be moderated by Jimmy Leach and includes comments from Tom Fletcher, British Ambassador to Lebanon, and Alec Ross, Senior Advisor for Innovation to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Suggested hashtag: #MidEastTweets

Top 50 most connected Twitter users in Lebanon
1@HaririSaadSaad Hariri
2@SherineTSherine Tadros
3@Najib_MikatiNajib Mikati
4@TrellaLBImad Bazzi
5@BeirutspringMustapha Hamoui
6@ShadaomarShada Omar
7@NadaAbdelsamadNada Abdelsamad
8@NaharnetNaharnet
9@RulaAminRula Amin
10@HMATomFletcherTom Fletcher
11@NOW_engNOW English
12@alihashem_tvAli Hashem
13@SleimanMichelMichel Sleiman
14@BeirutCallingMichael Young
15@DailyStarLebThe Daily Star
16@STLebanonSTL
17@woodenbeirutJosh Wood
18@ZeinakhodrAljazZeina Khodr
19@antoine_haddadAntoine Haddad
20@javierespinosa2JAVIER ESPINOSA
21@ALJADEEDNEWSAl Jadeed Channel
22@angienassarAngie Nassar
23@paul_salemPaul Salem
24@LBCI_News_ENLBCI News English
25@kellymceversKelly McEvers
26@LBCI_NEWSLBCI_NEWS
27@MTVLebanonNewsMTV Lebanon News
28@TajaddodYouthTajaddod Youth
29@HalaJaberHala Jaber
30@NadimKoteichNadim Koteich
31@samygemayelSamy Gemayel
32@TheZakoZaher
33@mayabeydounMaya Beydoun
34@monasalibamona saliba
35@Racha93halabiRacha El Halabi
36@daywoodDaoud Ibrahim
37@lebanonnewsLebanon News
38@NicolaSehnaouiNicolas Sehnaoui
39@Dana_MkDana Moukhallati
40@OliviaAlabasterOlivia Alabaster
41@ziadmajedZiad Majed
42@AntaReportNews3antar
43@antissaAntoun Issa
44@FChahine21Fadi Chahine
45@DLKhraicheDana Khraiche
46@ukinlebanonBritish Embassy LEB
47@futuretvnewsFuture TV :: News
48@annieslemAnnie Slemrod
49@jessyabouhabibJessy Abou Habib
50@MoeAliNaymoeali nayel
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