filed under Media | World News
This Is What Democracy Tweets Like
9:17PM ON
06/15/2009
BY
Jessica Ramsey
OMG. If you are not following the post-election events in Iran, start. If you are not following the way that Iranians are using Twitter to respond to the recent election, start doing it right now.
I’ve always had my questions about the utility of web-based media (because I think it sometimes gives idiots the tools to spread opinion as fact. Like, um, any local blog.) But young Iranians are using more democratized internet tools to build a more democratized state. This thing in Iran is something to witness. And it is best witnessed on Twitter.
The mini-blogging site has become so critical to events in Iran, the company postponed a scheduled maintenance this evening to tomorrow afternoon (at around 1:30am Tehran time.)
More after the jump, with good links…
Iranian protesters have found a new outlet to mobilize and take action. The presidential election has proved how much opposition supporters can demand change without necessarily taking to the streets. Just give them a computer and an Internet connection and watch what they can do…
With the absence of text messaging and mobile services — both were cut off across the country on and around election day and were still blocked on Sunday — Twitter proved to be the most reliable communication technique between people inside Iran and millions of others on the outside thirsty for any update.
A more heartfelt, liberal shout-out from Andrew Sullivan at the Atlantic Monthly:
Mock not. As the regime shut down other forms of communication, Twitter survived. With some remarkable results. Those rooftop chants that were becoming deafening in Tehran? A few hours ago, this concept of resistance was spread by a twitter message. Here’s the Twitter from a Moussavi supporter:
ALL internet & mobile networks are cut. We ask everyone in Tehran to go onto their rooftops and shout ALAHO AKBAR in protest #IranElection
And incredible pictures of the recent protests from the Boston Globe.
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June 15th, 2009 at 10:23PM
This Is What Democracy Tweets Like | BigB Says:
[...] the rest here: This Is What Democracy Tweets Like Share and [...]
June 16th, 2009 at 5:21AM
Jim Silverthorn Says:
And yet once again, the movie Network–1976!– was prophetic: “I want all of you to get up out of your chairs . . . and go to the window, open it, stretch your head out and yell, ‘I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!’”
June 16th, 2009 at 6:55PM
Eric Smith Says:
I’m following it and it is amazing. This will be remembered as one of the pivotal moments of the Internet as game-changer this decade.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:50AM
Frymaster Says:
http://twitter.com/persiankiwi is the #1 trusted inside source. Amazing that s/he is still reporting. Iranian government has been shutting down IPs all over, but outsiders are setting up proxies. Persiankiwi has excellent sources and is in Tehran moving from place to place to avoid capture.
And I need CNN for why?