Social media and decision-making among Syrian refugees

By Aleena T Sabu | OMC 2025

Photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha on Pexels

Since 2011, almost 14 million Syrians have been displaced because of the protracted conflict in Syria. Syrians have largely relocated to countries nearby such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. In 2024, when the Assad regime fell, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) conducted regional surveys to gather information on refugee resettlement, and almost 80% of the respondents shared their hope to return to Syria. By April of 2025, almost 400,000 refugees have returned back to Syria according to reports by the UNHCR. 

In the absence of stable support systems and reliable information channels, social media has emerged as a vital tool for displaced Syrians navigating the complexities of (im)mobility, accessing aid, claiming rights, and rebuilding community ties. However, these same platforms also present serious risks, including misinformation, surveillance, and exploitation. This essay explores how social media shapes decision-making among displaced Syrians, highlighting both its empowering potential and its risks, as they navigate critical choices related to resettlement, access to aid and rights, and community building.

Social media platforms are increasingly used by displaced communities to find information relating to places of refuge, getting updates on conflict zones, and forming connections with other displaced communities. A study by Stanford's Immigration Policy Lab on Facebook pages written in Arabic (2013-2018) found that while Syrian refugees accessed information from both official and unofficial sources, the latter dominated in volume, raising safety concerns. However, official sources saw higher engagement. Information sharing is prevalent on social media for several reasons, including its role in facilitating social interaction with others, creating communication links, and enabling information seeking.

Since 2015, accessing information through platforms such as Facebook groups, Instagram posts, and Twitter threads has become increasingly common among Syrians. These digital channels often serve as critical tools for making informed decisions about whether to remain in their current location or to leave.  At the same time, media was used  by activists to connect with the Syrian communities and share information. Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter were used  to organise protests, document regime violence, and share real-time updates with global audiences. These tools helped bypass state censorship and enabled citizen journalism in the absence of foreign media. Through hashtags, videos, and pseudonymous accounts, Syrians built international solidarity and countered the regime’s propaganda. However, while having access to social media did provide them with information sharing and accessibility, it also brought them under scrutiny as media was heavily controlled by the Syrian government. 

Displaced communities often engage within the same trusted groups or communities on these platforms and share content that they feel is valuable for anyone in their position. Establishing social networks within communities helps create bonds with other refugees or asylum seekers as well, collectively shaping their decision-making. Engagement with similar and familiar content is maintained to improve their social networks. These digital spaces such as Facebook pages, WhatsApp groups, and online communities have become hubs where there is an exchange of information about safe settlement areas, real-time conflict updates, and available resources. Establishing these social networks helps create strong bonds among individuals with shared experiences, creating a sense of belonging. 

Studies report that among the youth, social media became a safe space to express themselves. Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook are quite popular among the youth, who use them to stay connected with friends and family, as well as to seek help from international organisations. At the same time, social media platforms are also used to facilitate contact with smugglers. Numerous accounts on Instagram and Facebook have been created specifically to promote and organise smuggling activities across borders. 

Social media platforms have created a network for refugees for sharing information, being updated on conflicts, as well as having full-time access to asylum policies. Syrian refugees have utilised these platforms to share news in real-time, stay connected with their families abroad, seek help from international organisations, and also in their asylum-seeking process. The use of social media has thus helped them form better opinions of their current situation and their future lives as well. Being able to stay connected with family members in other countries, allow them to cross-verify the information on certain events or locations. Images in this scenario play a crucial role in providing a vivid reality of the places and current situation, but yet again, in the world of AI and deep fakes, verification of these sources is also crucial to counter disinformation. 

Social media platforms can serve as valuable tools for obtaining information, building community, and for political mobilisation, however, as this essay has discussed, there can also be risks. This situation places a significant burden on these communities, who must navigate complex information environments and determine the reliability and relevance of the content they encounter. Ultimately, they often bear the burden of making critical, life-altering decisions based on information they can’t always verify.

Aleena T Sabu

Aleena is an independent researcher on migration, she has previously worked as a Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR). She has a Master’s degree in Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science (Hons) from the University of Delhi. Her research experience includes internships at the Indian Council of World Affairs and Mahatma Gandhi University. Aleena has also interned with several leading institutions, including the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs, Raisina House, Global Strategic and Defence News, and the Government of Kerala. Her academic focus spans migration, diaspora studies, and conflict resolution, and she is actively expanding her research portfolio. Aleena has presented papers at prestigious platforms such as the University of Kansas, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Madras Christian College, and Aligarh Muslim University.