Morocco's High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA) has published a study examining how the country's parliamentary parties use social media platforms. The study, conducted by HACA's "Regulation and Digital Media" working group, analyzed thousands of posts and videos on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, and party websites. The research aimed to assess how social media is reshaping political communication in Morocco. The study focused on the 12 political parties represented in Parliament following Morocco's September 2021 legislative elections.
The study collected data between January and May 2026, deliberately stopping before the heightened activity surrounding the 2026 legislative election period. This was intended to prevent electoral intensity from distorting the study's results. Researchers examined 2,651 Facebook posts published by the official pages of all 12 parliamentary parties. They also recorded 925 TikTok videos from six parties, analyzed 507 YouTube videos from five parties, and studied 1,012 posts published on X by four parties. Party websites were assessed separately.
The findings suggest that Morocco's parties are using each platform differently rather than following one common digital strategy. Facebook remains the main space for interaction and proximity with citizens, according to HACA. TikTok, meanwhile, has become particularly significant for viral visibility among younger users. YouTube offers more space for explanation and longer political storytelling, but the study concludes that parties are still not fully exploiting that potential.
X stands out for speed and its ability to circulate political messages rapidly through the wider media environment. Party websites continue to serve as official reference points, but HACA found that they generate comparatively little public engagement. The study raises broader questions about how platform design can affect democratic debate. HACA member Narjis Rerhaye warned of the risks of what she described as "a democracy under algorithms."
Rerhaye pointed to the lack of transparency surrounding recommendation systems and the concentration of influence among major technology platforms. She argued that greater transparency, stronger digital literacy, and more diverse information sources are necessary responses to those challenges. The study also reviews how social networks have evolved into digital public squares, enabling citizen mobilization while creating new opportunities for misleading information and political polarization.
HACA's conclusions emphasize that the effects of social media on Morocco's democratic life will depend partly on how institutions, civil society, and citizens respond to those risks. The regulator argues that Morocco will need to develop its own approach to online regulation and moderation, balancing technological innovation and openness with individual rights and national legal frameworks. The publication adds to HACA's growing work on digital media.
The study provides a snapshot of a political landscape increasingly shaped by platforms whose influence now extends well beyond traditional campaign communication. The research will help inform Morocco's approach to online regulation and moderation.
Key points
- The study examined 2,651 Facebook posts, 925 TikTok videos, 507 YouTube videos, and 1,012 X posts from Morocco's parliamentary parties.
- Facebook remains the main space for interaction and proximity with citizens, while TikTok is increasingly important for reaching younger audiences.
- The study highlights the need for greater transparency, stronger digital literacy, and more diverse information sources to mitigate the risks of social media on democratic debate.
