The Influence of Social Media on Literary Reception Patterns: A Critical Perspective in the Context of Digital Age Transformations

Abstract

Literary reception in the digital age has witnessed a profound transformation under the impact of social media platforms and the broader digital revolution. The literary text is no longer confined to silent, individual reading, but is increasingly received within open virtual spaces that enable direct interaction between authors and readers through comments, likes, and shares. This shift has generated new modes of reception characterized by speed, interactivity, and plurality, while simultaneously reshaping Arab literary taste toward concise, direct forms and enhancing the visibility of visual and interactive literature. Yet, alongside these opportunities for
democratizing publishing and broadening readership, the digital context has also raised critical challenges, particularly regarding quality standards, depth of engagement, and the predominance of quantitative metrics over aesthetic and intellectual value. The study argues that understanding literary reception in the digital era necessitates an interdisciplinary approach that bridges literary criticism with media and communication theory in order to provide a comprehensive account of this cultural phenomenon.