[LINK] The role of ICT in dissent

[David Boxall]

The times, they are a changin':
Twitter becomes a lifeline to an Iran in turmoil
<http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=knowledge_center&articleId=9134460&taxonomyId=1&intsrc=kc_top>
...
> During a harsh government crackdown following the disputed Iranian 
> elections 
> <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124517352053619629.html?mod=googlenews_wsj>, 
> the Twitter social network 
> <http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9133841> 
> has become something of a lifeline for the people of Iran. The Iranian 
> government may have blocked or shut down various communication mediums 
> - like phone lines, the Facebook social network, YouTube videos and 
> even text messaging - but people are still sending photos and 
> information from Iran in short 140-character bursts.
...
U.S. Government Asks Twitter to Stay Up for #IranElection Crisis
<http://mashable.com/2009/06/16/twitter-iran/>
> A short while from now, Twitter 
> <http://www.blippr.com/apps/336651-Twitter> will go down for 
> maintenance due to extraordinary circumstances: The #IranElection 
> Controversy <http://mashable.com/2009/06/15/twitter-iran-election/>. 
> Originally scheduled to perform maintenance last night, the work was 
> moved to 2 PM PT today so that Iranians could tweet about the crisis.
>
> With members of the media kicked out of Iranian cities, millions 
> joining in on protests, and violence erupting all across the turmoiled 
> state, Iranians have been turning to Twitter, YouTube 
> <http://www.blippr.com/apps/336658-YouTube>, Flickr 
> <http://www.blippr.com/apps/336659-Flickr>, and other social tools to 
> get the word out about what’s happening on the ground.
>
> Well, it looks like Twitter may have had someone pushing for it not to 
> go down last night, during peak Iranian hours: *the U.S. State Department*
...

-- 
David Boxall | Drink no longer water,
| but use a little wine
| for thy stomach's sake ...
| King James Bible
| 1 Timothy 5:23