The press in the Arab world has been displaying a paradoxical nature for almost two centuries. On the one hand, there are repression, persecution, and restrictions initiated by governments and strong groups, such as religious movements. On the other hand, print media develop actively and produce large amounts of content that often challenge existing limitations. One of the reasons for this situation is that many governments recognized a vital need to provide media with relative freedom in order to preserve a balance between conflicting groups within societies of the Arab world, which are diverse and often opposing one another.
With the rise of privately-owned media, the mass media content became even more diverse and controversial because state-controlled media serve the interests of current governments, while privately owned ones serve the interests of many different groups. The Internet created a many-to-many communication platform, where these processes intensified and multiplied. In addressing social and cultural taboos, media can become an instrument of both government propaganda and opposition to governments. The press can promote a discussion among citizens and become a channel for expressing different views and positions. It reduces the risk of radicalization because radicalized are those who cannot openly speak.