Dwelling in a pandemic world: The role of new media in fostering anxiety and fear about Covid-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

The Covid-19 virus first discovered in February 2020 has defied borders by domesticating itself in all countries around the globe. Like in all other countries, the Covid-19 pandemic even though at first a health crisis has impacted all spheres of social life in the UAE from the economy to education as well as professions and their practices. The spread of infectious diseases is also known to live behind anxiety, fear, and general psychological distress among people. Government and health agencies in the UAE have embarked on public education and engagement to curb the spread of the virus as well as mitigate some of its adverse psychological consequences including anxiety and fear. The development of the Internet and new media has provided health authorities with channels for reaching out to the public on desirable health behavior. The discourse on digital divide for instance, has, among others, questioned technologically deterministic views about the novelty of the Internet by pointing at the divides or barriers it has created in society. While the UAE is reported to be the most digitally connected country in the MENA region in terms of the spread and access to Internet and broadband facilities thus overcoming the first level of digital divide, this study uses both focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to explore Internet and social media use patterns, and extent of reproduction of the second and third levels of digital divide among communities in the country during Covid-19 pandemic.