A Professional Higher Diploma thesis equivalent to a master’s degree, titled “The Role of the Ministry of Interior’s Facebook Page in Promoting Security Awareness Among the Public,” was discussed at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad. The thesis was submitted by researcher Mohammed Hamza Jakhyur.
The discussion committee was chaired by Assistant Professor Dr. Muntaha Hadi Hindi, with Assistant Professor Dr. Bayraq Hussein Jumaa as supervisor and Dr. Rana Abdul Latif Hamed as a committee member. Dr. Saad Maan Ibrahim Ahmed served as an external committee member.
The study aimed to examine the relationship between following the Ministry of Interior’s Facebook posts and enhancing public security awareness, as well as to assess the page’s contribution to strengthening security and legal awareness through its published communication messages. The researcher adopted the survey method, using a questionnaire and a measurement scale. The study population consisted of followers of the Ministry of Interior’s Facebook page, while the researcher used purposive and snowball sampling to select 400 active followers.
The findings showed that the average level of security awareness among the sample was 2.3029, exceeding the hypothetical mean and indicating the effectiveness of the published content in enhancing security knowledge and behavior. The results also showed a strong correlation between motivations for following the page and the level of security awareness, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.579. In addition, a strong relationship was found between following security guidance and improving personal security behavior (0.622).
The chi-square test revealed statistically significant differences in awareness levels based on the type of content followed, highlighting the importance of diversifying news, analytical, and awareness-oriented materials. The findings also showed differences in awareness levels according to age and educational attainment, with awareness increasing with age and reaching its highest level among respondents holding bachelor’s degrees.
The researcher recommended diversifying content formats through multimedia, strengthening engagement with followers by using interactive measurement tools, and establishing partnerships with academic and security institutions to produce specialized content. The recommendations also included organizing seasonal awareness campaigns, using paid advertising to reach groups with lower levels of awareness, creating private discussion groups to enhance community engagement, and continuing to monitor performance indicators to improve the effectiveness of security communication messages.
