For instance, let’s say that you’re sitting at your computer when you hear a knock at your door. You get up, open the door and see a politician running in a local election. Now let’s say you’re sitting at your computer and you see that the same politician is following your twitter account, or has added you as a friend on Facebook; or maybe they made a comment on your blog. To which are you more receptive?

 Consider how great the influence of social media on the global political scale. There are several countries around the world that have placed grave restrictions on freedom of speech, the freedom of dissent, and on independent media and engaged citizens. Places that are currently in a state of social upheaval, but where people face restrictions in speaking out, are using social media as a way to get their voices heard. This is happening in China, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Palestine, Russia … even in Mongolia to a certain extent.

 In locations where government seeks to commit repugnant acts against its residents without impunity, social media is facilitating the circumvention of restrictions, once again giving rise to the voice of the populace – whose views are neither valued not wanted by oppressive regimes that seek to silence them.

 However, is this access to the world (through the internet) changing the ways in which governments act and create policy? To be continued…

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?