, represent a specific subculture of "scandal" videos. These often targeted young women to shame them for behaviors perceived as unconventional or "westernized".
During these years, YouTube saw a surge in amateur, user-generated content from the Maghreb. Much of the content labeled with these keywords was part of a "viral" trend involving leaked private videos or controversial social commentary. Terminology: "Bnat" means "girls" or "daughters". , represent a specific subculture of "scandal" videos
Arabic pop stars like Nancy Ajram, Saad Lamjarred (pre-scandal), Cheb Khaled, and Latifa were favorites. Tunisian girls especially loved lip-syncing to Balti or Saber Rebai. Much of the content labeled with these keywords
In 2012, Algerian designers and fashion enthusiasts began to promote the 9hab style, which soon gained traction on social media platforms and YouTube. The hashtag #bnatalgerian (Algerian girls) and #bnatalgerie (Algerian women) became popular, showcasing the country's fashionistas and their unique sense of style. Tunisian girls especially loved lip-syncing to Balti or
In 2012, internet penetration in Algeria hovered around 15–18%, while Morocco and Tunisia were slightly ahead at 55% and 45% respectively. However, those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Cybercafés were still bustling in Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Casablanca, Tunis, and Sfax. Young girls, often without personal laptops at home, would gather in these cafés to watch and upload videos.