The 1970’s counter-cultural poem “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” couldn’t be further from the truth today, as we see governments shutting down social media outlets. “The Great Lie” is harder to maintain than ever before, as self-created content via social media has spread to the Middle East and worldwide. While President Mubarak and many throughout the Arab world have ruled with a strong fist, I am sure that never did he dream that the biggest threat to his rule- and possibly an actual overthrow – would come through a simple technology that people entertain themselves with, through 140-character messages.
Social media allows people to force government to face their version of truth, whether they like it or not. New media today will result in the open – We see images today of protestors with hand held cameras surely for Youtube, and we remember the images a few months ago of the protests in Iran – Similar visuals only 30 years ago which would have very likely never reached the Western World
Social media has shown its potential with the simplicity of online and wireless access by individuals with passion, energy, and a just cause. Perhaps state run media in many countries will also follow the lead of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez who joined Twitter a few months ago, and invited Cuban head Fidel Castro to join him on Twitter. He had previously called Twitter a potential “tool of terror” – but maybe he has realized that it can be used as his tool of terror.
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