For a brief period following the Arab Spring, many hoped that one of the world’s most repressive regions was advancing toward greater democracy and human rights. Young activists were able to inform and mobilize millions of their peers. However, an authoritarian counter revolution appears to have turned much of the Middle East into an even more repressive region. Through several case studies, my paper examines the evolution of digital activism in the Arab world and details the tragic journey of young social media influencers on issues of democratic reform from stunning success to silence, imprisonment, and even torture. My presentation focuses on audiovisual content and presents inspiring examples that went viral only for that success to motivate authoritarian repression.