Moroccan digital activism shifts from protest to organizing emigration to Europe

Digital tools once used by Moroccan civil society to hold officials accountable and expose abuses are now facilitating a mass exodus to Europe. Researchers observe a "silent, almost invisible" shift where digital activism has transformed into a tool for emigration, particularly towards the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

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The same digital weapons that were used yesterday to demand accountability are now being used to organize a mass escape to Europe.

This phenomenon, termed "counter-geography" by researchers, represents a significant change from the "counter-democracy" observed in earlier movements like the 2011 February 20 movement, the Rif protests (2016-2017), and the 2018 boycott campaign. During that period, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, along with citizen journalism, amplified marginalized voices demanding dignity within Morocco.

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Counter-democracy has not disappeared, it has transformed into counter-geography.

However, a crackdown on digital spaces, characterized by restrictive cybercrime laws and prosecutions for "undermining public security," has led to widespread self-censorship. Faced with a dead end or imprisonment for digital protest, young Moroccans have redirected their energy. The focus has shifted from demanding better public services, such as hospitals, to sharing real-time information on migration routes, border patrol locations, and crossing points.

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The digital sphere was then a driver of inclusion, allowing marginalized voices, youth and those on the fringes, to bypass official media and impose their agenda on public debate.

This new form of digital civil society operates through encrypted WhatsApp and Telegram groups, making it difficult for authorities to track. It organizes large groups of migrants, providing them with information on sea conditions, smuggler prices, and gaps in border fences. This organized, digitally-informed migration represents a new challenge for authorities monitoring the borders.

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The Moroccan digital space has been gradually restricted by laws related to cybercrime, judicial proceedings for 'undermining public security,' and an increase in trials for opinion.