Working Meeting on young people in Muslim communities and social networking
July 13, 2007
The purpose of the workshop was to convene a diverse collection of stakeholders to discuss how young people in Muslim communities are using the Internet and whether there are untapped or underdeveloped opportunities to create innovative services – such as social networks – to facilitate new connections and forms of on-line exploration. The interdisciplinary group included Imams and other experts on Muslim communities, business people, government representatives, NGO leaders, venture capitalists and technologists, in addition to academics who study computing, social networks and how young people use them. The overarching goal was to identify tools, resources, and people that could be involved in creating an on-line forum for this type of interaction and conversation.
A primary question fueled the conversations: does it make sense to envision an on-line community composed of and serving young people who are curious about their religion, want to be modern and understand Islam, and would like to connect to others asking the same questions? The conference began by separately considering four essential elements of a sustainable business model for developing that kind of community. In contemplating potential markets, funding options, and team members who could be involved in the service’s design and construction, the group examined how young people are currently working and communicating in this space. These more practical conversations were balanced by consideration of the complex values, needs, and cultural mores that would necessarily shape a network of this kind.
Ideas and Results
Network/Communities
While innumerable models are possible, the group proposed four schematic starting points according to the target audience. The first model described a transnational interactive network geared towards Muslims who want to connect with other Muslims to talk specifically about Islam. The second also targeted people who identify themselves as Muslims but who may be seeking social interaction beyond an exchange centered on Islam. The third example was based on the Facebook model, and would allow participants to tap into their existing social networks to make ‘real world’ connections, with religion acting as the unifying thread between members. The final model broadened the scope by conceiving an international space that would include both Muslims and non-Muslims interested in building relationships around the exploration of Islam. The group agreed that there were market opportunities and potential drawbacks in all four realms.
With Islam shaping the scope of each model to varying degrees, the group determined that the participation of religious leaders would be essential for the success of any social networking tool of this kind. This important concept recurred in conversations throughout the day. To effectively build the user community, develop the necessary understanding, and establish legitimacy, the design and maintenance of such a space would require the expertise and insight of Imams, sheiks and other leaders. In what is perhaps a telling insight, this community currently has few electronic means of communicating and self-organizing. One potential way of engaging Muslim leaders with this type of project, and more importantly, with one another, would be to facilitate their interaction on-line, through the creation of a social network or database that allows them to meet others who share their orientation.
Functionalities
Various characteristics were proposed as potential links for bringing new members into an on-line community, including school affiliation, gender, different forms of Muslim identity, and interests in particular topics. Recognizing that there are numerous small and often more narrowly focused on-line and off-line communities which currently bring Muslims together, one powerful way to seed a new network would be to facilitate meaningful interlinking/aggregation among them. The mission of this service would be to create stronger ties between loosely knit groups, promote open dialogue and increase the number of progressive on-line Islamic voices.
An important example of such existing networks is captured by halalfire.com, whose founders, Shahed and Zahed Amanullah, attended the conference. With a collection of websites focused on a wide range of interests-- from http://www.zabihah.com/, which provides a guide to halal restaurants and markets, to http://www.altmuslim.com/, which reports globally on Muslim life, politics and culture, to http://www.halalapalooza.com/, which presents a guide to Islamics e-commerce, and http://www.salatomatic.com/, which creates a guide to Islamic schools and mosques-- halalfire.com reflects the broad range of ideas around which on-line Muslims potentially congregate. An effort to learn from such networks and create links between these communities might provide a useful starting point for the creation of a youth-focused site.
In line with this approach, core functionalities should enable users to express their opinions and respond to those of others; access additional resources, services, people, products, and knowledge; forge connections; and meet and mentor other individuals drawn to similar issues. Participants concluded that an on-line tool centered on fostering discussions of religion, culture, and identity would likely require some form of moderation, in order to balance the desire for positive voices with the ideals of open participation and communication. To create these community norms, the design/development team would seek advice from religious leaders, opinion leaders, and youth; read popular opinions on related topics; analyze Islamic-oriented website success stories; and solicit recommendations from users.
The team would also implement technology solutions in support of these ideas. One example might be a reputation system--similar to the mechanisms featured on slashdot.com, digg.com and amazon.com—which solicits feedback from users and subsequently organizes and displays items and posts according to popular opinion. Both salatomatic.com and zabihah.com solicit user reviews and votes from the community as a means of prioritizing resources and recommendations.
Funding
Determining sustainable business options proved challenging, but not impossible. While most participants agreed that a successful for-profit business model might be the best starting point, they acknowledged the need to develop a religiously-oriented site that is not perceived as “just a business.” A forum supported primarily by advertising and/or user-subscriptions seemed preferable to non-profit models, which would require substantial continuous funding streams and foundational support. A profitable platform might involve a community that would interest other businesses as a market for products and services. Another idea for balancing a for-profit model with religious awareness centered on selecting advertisers who would be sensitive to how the target demographic would be represented in their campaign, and develop their ads accordingly. This idea underscored the general belief in the value of a “web 2.0” approach where the users provide much of the site’s value, and the associated importance of developing a deep understanding of who the users are – and how to create a community that serves their needs. One way to identify potential members would be to examine other religious sites and determine how those users connect with each other – and where they might, but do not. Further, support from popular Muslim figures could bring with it both a built-in audience that can be transformed into an on-line community and the popular buzz that often drives youth participation. For example, tapping into comedian Baba Ali’s rapidly expanding international fan base could provide an avenue for connecting to millions of young Muslims and non-Muslims. (For an interview with Baba Ali and examples of the issues he confronts in his public performances and video logs, see: http://www.altmuslim.com/perm.php?id=1935_0_24_0_M)
Team/Participants
The fourth element of a successful business model is the team who would design, build, and maintain such a forum. The following proposals center on a service that would be religiously-oriented, with a global focus, and available to both Muslims and non Muslims. To maximize youth buy-in, the service would have to be “cool” and user-friendly. Furthermore, it would have to retain a business orientation, as opposed to being billed as an altruistic project, which might inhibit user participation. Once again, an actionable proposition recommended broad consultations with religious leaders in both the design and maintenance of the site. Such leaders could also provide guidance beyond religion – to daily life, identity, and culture.
Another sector that should be involved in the design team and staff from the outset is a diverse group of youth of different ages, cultures, genders, nationalities, and strains of Islam. With religious leaders, this core group of founders and facilitators would also be involved in exercising limited control over the content, questions, and discourse featured on the site during its implementation. The inclusion of youth would strengthen the connection between those working for the platform and the users who create and lead the community, ideally bridging disconnects between the perceptions of the staff and the needs of users. For a forum that invites both religiously-oriented inquiries and questions on broader topics, including politics, nationality, identity, and culture, consultants may include anthropologists, sociologists, social workers, child psychologists, and counselors for the design of these services-- some may even act as ongoing guides.
Cross-cutting Discussions
While the day focused on identifying actionable proposals and partnerships, participants also grappled with important macro themes – including tensions surrounding identity, religious values, politics, and cultural expectations – that inevitably shape such a forum. For example, in considering what type of audience might benefit from a service of this kind, the notion of who considers themselves Muslim, and which “kind” of Muslim, is a complex and nuanced question. Any successful tool must have trust and authenticity built into it through the participation and support of people with authority in popular culture and religion. Such a forum must be perceived as a politically neutral zone that promotes frank conversation and exchange.
Meta discussions engaged with issues of identity and the question of how to create an on-line space where youth can navigate the multiple influences that intersect with and shape their self-perception. Although the practical questions of funding, audience, nature of service, functionality, and design team are critical for future action, values – particularly trust and credibility – are equally fundamental to a multi-layered and sustainable tool focused on open dialogue, exploration, and community-building.
The group identified and explored many of the tensions that are essential to bear in mind during the development stage. It considered the implications of: developing a forum based on a specific communities versus a global audience; creating a tool exclusively for Muslims or one that includes non-Muslims; centering on issues related to Islam or inviting general social interaction related to a broad range of topics; and, consulting with popular figures or religious leaders and whether either would undermine the overarching goals of the forum. While no definitive conclusions were reached, all groups agreed on the need for built-in authenticity, some form of moderation, sensitivity to youth culture and behavior, and consultation with a wide-range of stakeholders in the design, creation, and evolution of such a network.
Conclusions: Actionable Steps Forward
The day produced multiple proposals for immediate development and many ideas around which participants might form ‘soft collaborations.’ The general consensus seemed to be that working through existing models might be the best way forward in the near term. Some ideas centered on Facebook, which may provide a salient starting point for network creation; for the development of useful user surveys (to garner a sense of the audience, the potential users, how they may identify themselves, their needs and their interests), and for experimentation in various modes of dialoguing between youth. Facebook could also be used to create the network between religious leaders, a priority action supported by the participants. Such a tool could stimulate meaningful connections between progressive spiritual leaders who could participate in the design, maintenance and community-building for the site.
Other ideas for building onto existing platforms centered on Halalfire Media, as its collection of sites reflects one of the most developed Muslim networks in the world, with over two million page views and nearly 6 million unique visitors annually. In addition to housing an advanced and varied set of Islamic-oriented resources, it could allow for connection between Muslims across a variety of interests—from travel and current affairs to politics and education. These sites, while not primarily focused on youth, exhibit the wide range of communities that might attract on-line Muslims. Future forums can benefit from understanding these existing tools and small groupings, determining how to link them effectively and target youth more specifically in the process.
Additional actionable proposals included lightweight collaboration between software developers who could create such applications or add a social networking tool to other existing dotcoms. Ideas included a program that might enable youths to “ask an Imam,” and create a space for subsequent discussion of the response. Participants also recommended an initiative to ‘map the internet’ to determine what services and networks may already exist in different languages and places. The general consensus was that a core challenge would be overcoming linguistic differences and reaching out effectively to non-English speakers. The issue of language and authenticity might be bridged by developing projects that incubate in the Middle East and move towards Western countries, as opposed to spreading in the opposite direction.
Broad ideas centered on workshops, networking, and leadership conferences among the organizations represented by the participants. While these meetings would provide opportunity to discuss design ideas, they would also provide a means to forge ties between stakeholders, experts and religious leaders, who could add value to the forum mission and outreach. Such relationships might also help to bridge the virtual, physical, and theoretical layers of the project by expanding the project’s supportive network. From a technological perspective, many participants highlighted the value of utilizing existing platforms to launch the forum, while recognizing that user input and innovation should drive the evolution of more ecumenical tools. The group agreed that future developments and collaborations would have the most impact through the input and inclusion of Muslims with content, technological and religious expertise.