Digital Privacy and Security in Wartime: Examining Societal Trends and the Impact of Social Media Platform Policies during the 2023 Gaza War
Keywords:
Privacy, Digital Security, Social Media Platforms, Gaza War 2023Abstract
This study aims to analyse the level of awareness of digital privacy and security in Palestinian society, the perceptions and concerns of users of digital platforms after the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October 2023, and the policies of social media platforms regarding digital activity, as well as the impact of these policies on users' behaviour, interaction and digital practices during the war. The study used a quantitative approach, relying on a questionnaire. The study concluded that the level of awareness of digital privacy among citizens in Palestinian society is average at 60.7%, reflecting awareness of the importance of preserving personal data and the risks of disclosing it in digital environments, which leaves a high percentage of society vulnerable to misleading information, such as fake links. The study also concluded that the perceptions of users of digital platforms reached 60.4%, which is also an average degree towards security and digital risks. The study concluded that the level of impact of social media policies on the activity of the Palestinian digital society after the war came to an average degree of 61.7%.
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