The Image of the Popular Mobilization Forces on Social Media Sites: Facebook as a Model

Abstract

This study examines the image of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on social media, taking Facebook pages as a model for analysis. It aims to identify the pages that carried the name of the PMF under various labels and expressions and to analyze the main features of the image constructed around it in the digital sphere. The study addresses the dominant themes, the patterns of representation, and the scale of online presence. To achieve this, the researcher employed content analysis using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample consisted of Facebook pages observed during 16-18 March 2017, a period that coincided with the peak of military confrontations led by Iraqi security forces against داعش. The findings revealed 983 pages and groups carrying the name of the PMF or related titles. These were distributed across personal pages and public groups and mainly focused on battle news, narratives of heroism, and visual representations of commanders and fighters, while also reflecting broad public support through multiple social, regional, and institutional designations.