The importance of the study is due to a number of factors that prove the relevance of the research. Saudi Arabia, which entered the G20 in 2019, is the leader in oil production in its region, which makes the state an important strategic partner for many other countries (Amralili, 2021). Constant interaction with foreign investors makes it necessary to search for optimal principles of risk communication to counteract the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, according to Saxena (2017), in addition to trade nuances, geopolitical factors need to be taken into account. Saudi Arabia is located at the intersection of three continents – Europe, Asia, and Africa, which makes the state vulnerable to the continuous flow of tourists and entrepreneurs. As Behrouzifar et al. (2019) argue, the country ranks second in oil reserves in the world; thus, the region has great financial opportunities and is open to working with investors. The great Muslim holy cities, Makkah and Medina, are located in Saudi Arabia, which explains the importance of establishing effective risk communication to counter COVID-19.
The main contributions of this study refer to different areas. Firstly, one can highlight the efforts made by the Saudi government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, the topic touched upon can expand the knowledge of citizens about the role of social media campaigns in the fight against the coronavirus infection. According to Tripathi et al. (2020), many people are distrustful of the information they receive about COVID-19 from open sources, and this factor is a powerful argument for comparing the pros and cons of targeted media work. The religious, economic, and media sectors in conditions of social interaction challenges will be explored in more detail. Finally, the study will enhance not only the scientific but also the cognitive potential of Saudis and broaden the understanding of risk communication during the pandemic.
The planned research will have several limitations due to a narrow research focus. The key target audience will be Saudi citizens, including those living outside the country. In addition, specific social media platforms will be engaged as digital resources for communication campaigns, particularly Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Snapchat. As a data collection tool, online surveys will be offered to the participants, which narrows the range of interactions, and through a quantitative approach, the information obtained will be compiled to obtain specific outcomes.
To address the aforementioned limitations and broaden the scope of research on the use of social media for communication against COVID-19, several future studies can be identified. According to Hassounah et al. (2020), in Saudi Arabia, the peak of the use of online interaction platforms began in 2011, and since then, the country’s citizens have been actively using applications for virtual communication. One of the following possible studies may be named as follows: “The Effectiveness of Saudi and Australian Risk Communication to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which will allow comparing the approaches of two different states to the same problem.
To compare and contrast the work of different governments, the following study can be conducted: “Communication During the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Comparison Study Between the Saudi Arabia Government and the US Government.” To assess the best risk communication techniques, the topic of a future study may be as follows: “Which Are the Most Effective Channels: Social Media Platforms or the Traditional Media Channels?” Finally, from the perspective of the oil sector as the main industry in the country, the problem of combating the pandemic can be addressed within the framework of Saudi Aramco, the largest oil company in the country: “The Communication of COVID-19 and Its Impact on the Nation’s Brand Saudi Aramco as a Model.”
References
Amralili, K. (2021). G20 countries stock market’s reaction to changes in oil prices [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Vytautas Magnus University.
Behrouzifar, M., Araghi, E. S., & Meibodi, A. E. (2019). OPEC behavior: The volume of oil reserves announced. Energy Policy, 127, 500-522.
Hassounah, M., Raheel, H., & Alhefzi, M. (2020). Digital response during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e19338.
Saxena, S. (2017). Significance of open government data in the GCC countries. Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance, 19(3), 251-263.
Tripathi, R., Alqahtani, S. S., Albarraq, A. A., Meraya, A. M., Tripathi, P., Banji, D., Alshahrani, S., Ahsan, W., & Alnakhli, F. M. (2020). Awareness and preparedness of COVID-19 outbreak among healthcare workers and other residents of South-West Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional survey. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 482.