The Middle East has always been a region that has frequently appeared in global news and media for various reasons. Despite all the attention paid to the region, there has always been a part of the population that has remained ignored for most of the time. The sector I am talking about is Arab youth. For a long time, the Arab region and its politics have been closely linked to its traditions and past, with many leaders holding power for several decades. Because of this social structure, the youth of these countries have been given little attention and say in how their countries are run. However, in light of recent events in the region, it is clear that young people have had enough of this oppression and that it is now up to them to take control. The question that has come to the minds of millions of people around the world is “what could have caused these sudden riots?” Part of the answer to this question can be attributed to technology. Specifically, it was the structure of social media, the Internet and television, that acted as a catalyst and empowered young Arabs, not only to rebel against their oppressors, but to rediscover their identity in times of conflict and difficulty. The spread of the Internet and related technologies has been relatively slow in the Middle East. In fact, Kuwait, one of the first countries in the region to make the Internet commercially available to the public, only began doing so in 1992 (Wheeler,2006, p.38). The main drivers of this problem include dictatorships seeking to avoid new avenues for free speech and distrust of “Western” technology by most people in the region. Whenever an argument is made against… middle of paper… January). Egypt cuts off Internet to stop protests. FT.com. Retrieved May 22, 2011 from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2253125111).Egypt's supporters gather around the world. (2011, January 28). Al Jazeera English. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/01/201112815843772129.htmlJordan opens registration for its Arabic domain name. (2011, November 23). Arab Crunch. Retrieved June 1, 2011, from http://arabcrunch.com/2010/11/jordan-opens-registration-to-its-arabic-domain-name.htmlSchneider, C. (2009, July). Cynthia Schneider: The Surprising Spread of "Idol" TV [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/cynthia_schneider_the_surspiring_spread_of_idol_tv.htmlWheeler, D. L. (2006). Internet in the Middle East. (T. M. Harrison and T. Stephen, eds.).Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.