The Power of Social Media: #iranelection
Other bloggers have written some great looks at how social media is becoming an important player in the current unrest in Iran. Western media cannot report on the situation in Iran, so tools like Twitter have emerged to raise awareness of the bloodshed that is resulting in that country. Just this morning, I was saddened to read (and retweet) this message:
Amir Javadifar, a student protester arrested on Jul 9th, died in prison. #iranelection http://bit.ly/XqsqH #Iran #g88
Messages like this are source material in the history of one of the most important fights of my generation. They also speak to the power of social media. The western world would not know that Amir Javadifar died in prison if not for social media. And then there is the organizational power of the social sphere.The #iranelection hash tag is buzzing with calls for a general strike on August 5th (the day that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be sworn in as leader). It will be very interesting to watch what happens as the inauguration approaches! If the western media cannot report what is happening in Iran, Twitter most certainly will.
I am very curious about what sort of impact services like Twitter will have upon foreign policy towards Iran. How will foreign governments navigate through the confusing world of social media? Will they be able to sift through all the lies, conjecture, and propaganda to find the threads of actionable truth?
But, I am even more curious about how future governments will behave in a social media dominated world. What kinds of effects will the mass acceptance of social media have upon the future of activism? As an example, consider the Chilean coup of 1973. Augusto Pinochet converted the National Stadium in Santiago into a giant detention centre/house of torture immediately following the coup. Would a government be able to engage in such a massive human rights abuse in a social world? Will governments be able to keep mass genocide a secret anymore?
How will government behave in a web 2.0/3.0 world?
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About Greg: Greg Hluska is an early 30s Regina guy. By day, he works in User Experience in a technology company and by night, he is an avid reader/writer who helps publish the Regina Streets Magazine. |
