The Role of Public Relations in Countering Extremist Ideologies: An Analytical and Field Study of the Impact of Memes and Digital Entertainment on Adolescents’ Behavior and Beliefs

Abstract

The significance of this research stems from the rapid development of technology and social media platforms, which has led to the emergence of what is known as “memes.” While memes ostensibly aim to entertain and amuse audiences, many of these videos gain widespread popularity by becoming trending content. However, beyond their apparent humorous nature, such short clips may implicitly convey extremist ideas that distort perceptions and encourage negative behaviors among individuals in general and adolescents in particular. Adolescents are especially vulnerable to such influence, often without fully understanding the origins, credibility, or underlying intentions of the information presented.

The research aims to identify the roles played by public relations in limiting the influence of extremist ideas transmitted to adolescents through meme content that affects their behavior and beliefs. Accordingly, the researcher formulated the main research question as follows: “What is the role of public relations in reducing the impact of memes and digital entertainment on adolescents’ behavior and beliefs?”

This study falls within the scope of descriptive research. The researcher employed the survey method in both its analytical and field dimensions to examine the influence of memes on audiences’ behavior and beliefs, as well as to analyze activities published on social media platforms and assess the validity of the information and its influence on adolescents’ ideas.

In the analytical aspect, the research population consisted of meme pages on Instagram. The research sample included meme content appearing on Instagram Explore and videos exceeding one million views during the period from January 2, 2026, to February 2, 2026. Content analysis was used to examine both the form and content of these memes.

In the field study, the research population consisted of adolescents aged 13–18 in schools in Baghdad. The researcher used a scale instrument to measure adolescents’ attitudes toward these videos during the period from January 15, 2026, to January 30, 2026, which represented the duration of the survey distribution.

The study reached several findings, the most significant of which are as follows:

1.The findings indicate the use of the persuasive technique known as the “cumulative exposure and repetition effect” in communication messages directed at adolescent audiences through memes, with a frequency of 501 (83.5%).

2.The findings show that public relations relied on persuasion strategies in communication messages conveyed through memes, with a frequency of 204 (34%).

3.The findings reveal that the impact of memes on adolescents’ behavior and beliefs lies in their ability to shape perceptions of reality, with a frequency of 507 (84.5%).

4.The findings indicate that adolescents rarely possess the ability to analyze the primary objective of memes, with a frequency of 93 (77.5%).