Discord: The digital platform that has been a launchpad for Morocco's Gen Z protests

The Discord chat platform, which is typically popular among gamers, has garnered widespread attention and even sparked some questions, as it is playing an increasingly integral role in youth protests sweeping across Morocco, organised by a newly established group called "Gen Z 212".

Several Moroccan cities have witnessed mass protests since the end of last week, led by young people in response to a call launched by Gen Z 212 on Discord.

The spark which ignited the protests was the death of eight pregnant women at a hospital in Agadir due to what activists said was medical negligence and a lack of basic equipment.

The movement, dubbed the "Moroccan Youth March" is calling for improved public health and education provision in the country as well as for corruption to be combatted.

Discord has been identified as a key component for the Gen Z 212 group – organisers have used the platform to coordinate gatherings, decide meeting points, and exchange voice and text messages just hours before protests begin.

This has left Morocco's authorities facing a movement which is difficult to predict or control.

Moroccan cybersecurity expert Taib Hezzaz told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister edition that the group's decision to use Discord - a platform launched in 2015 originally for gaming communities - was due to its technical advantages, such as that it's free, allows text, voice, and video chats, and confines conversations to closed groups which makes it less open than other social networks.

Gen Z 212 describes itself as "a space for discussion on issues concerning all citizens, such as health, education, and fighting corruption," while consistently rejecting "violence" and emphasising a "love of the nation and the king".

The movement has emerged in the context of Morocco's deep social and economic struggles, where social and regional inequalities and unemployment, particularly among youth and women, stand out as key challenges, alongside huge disparities in education and healthcare between the public and private sectors.

Hezzaz describes Discord as "a programme available to everyone, which allows users to create accounts without needing a real name or phone number, in addition to enabling live meetings".

He said these features made it an ideal platform for organising protests, and that since the groups initial posts which received interactions from some foreign pages, thousands of Moroccans had joined the movement, with dedicated chat rooms created in most cities.

Hezzaz explains that group administrators require members to take precautions to avoid surveillance, such as using fake names and photos and providing misleading information on their pages.

They also rely on mobilisation tactics, including rapid circulation of posts and using female accounts to attract men to participate, a trend that has become increasingly evident in recent days, with female accounts dominating posts.

The group also organises discussion sessions via voice or video, sometimes hosting human rights figures or digital activists, as well as evaluation meetings on Discord after each protest to plan next steps, reflecting a certain level of organisation and flexibility.

Protest organisers have emphasised the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, and called  participants to adhere to the principle of non-violence, out of respect for citizens and the security forces, and to behave with "decorum and tact".

They have also affirmed their support for the monarchy as a "guarantor of stability".

According to a study conducted in 2024 by OpinionWay Maroc and Saga Communication, around 43 percent of young Moroccans (ages 18–29) spend between three and five hours daily on social media platforms, considering them spaces for self-expression, creativity, and relationship-building.

In parallel with these developments, the Digital Content Observatory (a non-governmental association of Moroccan computer experts) recently issued a report warning that "Discord is no longer just a space for communication between gamers, but has turned into an open platform for incitement and a tool in the hands of Silicon Valley algorithms to fuel protests and generate artificial revolutions".

The observatory argued that the platform's structure, based on closed servers, gave it an exceptional ability to enable youth to coordinate without surveillance.

According to the report, Gen Z 212's digital mobilisation "went beyond spontaneity, entering into the realm of systematic operations which aimed to influence using artificial intelligence".

It explained that these technologies analyse youth data and target them with tailored content designed to reinforce specific idea while isolating them from opposing viewpoints.

In the observatory's view, "legitimate social issues such as the right to high quality education and decent healthcare are being exploited to channel public anger in line with external agendas".

However, the report didn't provide technical evidence to substantiate its conclusions, using only generalised terms like "incitement" and "external exploitation".

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.