The english language news site, Al-Monitor, interviewed Dr. Rivka Ribak regarding the ousize role the mobile communication application, WhatsApp, plays in the extended Israeli family. She was interviewed for an article on Israel's "cellphone addiction":

Notably, Israelis stand out in their use of the mobile messaging app WhatsApp. A 2013 survey showed that 92% of smartphone owners in Israel uploaded this application. Rivka Ribak, from Haifa University's department of communication, who studies the role of technological devices in our lives, said, “In the United States, this application is hardly in use. In Israel, WhatsApp is widely used, and, in particular, WhatsApp family groups are unique to Israel, setting it apart from the rest of the world.”