Data Briefs
13% of narratives drove repetition on X after ceasefire
A small share of narratives drove all repetition on X after the Lebanon ceasefire, concentrating repeated content within a limited set of clusters.
Mohamed Soufan
Computational Researcher and Software Engineer analyzing large-scale social media data to understand online discourse. Uses data science and computational methods to uncover patterns in digital communication and public debate.
Papers
Media Coverage vs Public Demand in Lebanon (2026)
A data-driven comparison of media coverage and Google search behavior in Lebanon reveals a major gap between what news reports and what people seek.
Data Briefs
Ceasefire posts drew 2.3× more engagement on X
Posts about the ceasefire attracted far more engagement than violation reports in the 48 hours after the Lebanon ceasefire.
Data Briefs
35.5% of ceasefire posts repeated claims on X
Over a third of posts on X repeated existing claims after the Lebanon ceasefire, indicating that narratives spread faster than new reporting.
Analysis
Posts with numbers get 57% more engagement on X
Posts that include numbers—like “5 habits” or “30% growth”—perform significantly better on X. An analysis of 15,000+ posts finds they get 57% more engagement and are 31% more likely to go viral.
Data Briefs
5% of accounts drove 60% of engagement on X
A data analysis of 1,442 posts on X shows that a small group of accounts drove most engagement in the 48 hours after the Lebanon ceasefire.
Analysis
Narratives beat news on X after Lebanon ceasefire
A data analysis of 1,442 Arabic-language posts on X shows that after Lebanon’s ceasefire, attention focused on repeated narratives and a small group of accounts, not on ground-level reporting.
Data Briefs
Engagement drops by 95% as posts surge on X about Lebanon
Posts about Lebanon on X surged, but engagement per post fell sharply within 48 hours, dropping by over 95% as volume increased.
Analysis
Lebanon: More Posts, Less Engagement on X
Posts about Lebanon on X surged, but engagement per post fell sharply within 48 hours, dropping by over 95% as volume increased.
Analysis
Lebanon news focuses on war, people search economy
94.9% of Lebanon news coverage focused on conflict, but only 36.9% of search demand did. Most searches centered on economy, living, and emigration.
Data Briefs
Media framing of Lebanon after Beirut strikes
73.5% of media coverage after the Beirut strikes focused on politics, while civilian impact remained limited and displacement was nearly absent.
Analysis
Lebanon Coverage Focused on Politics Over Civilians
Analysis of 113 news articles shows coverage emphasized diplomacy and military developments over humanitarian impact following the Beirut strikes.