The Internet has been a useful tool in politics in the US since 2004. Then, Howard Dean's short lived status as "the front runner" in the democratic primary was fueled mostly by campaign donations solicited online. In 2008, Barack Obama turned the Internet into a fundraising machine and turned a long-shot into a historical presidential run. Yet, the 'net's power as an international political force has not been felt until now.
Iran is the web's first real test outside the US, and has passed with flying colors. In a country where most of the population is under 30, the Islamic regime's attempts to shut down social networking sites have been mostly futile. Who knew that Iranians knew about Twitter? Well, not only do they know how to use it, but they apparently know how to work the system more than the powers in charge. As reported on HuffPost, even challenger Mir-Hossein Mousavi sees the value of tweets. He argues that violence in the street will not win them what they want and that an economic protest would be more effective.
Twitter is not the only website that is fueling the Iranian protest. Thanks to Youtube, millions of Iranians and Westerners know the name of Neda Soltani. Soltani was killed in the street and her death was recorded by amateur cameramen. The video was posted to Youtube for all to see (it is disturbing.) Neda has become a rallying point for protest inside Iran and a touchstone to those outside Iran who oppose the government.
Despite the rise of blogs, web video, and online news, there are still some problems with this new information age. This decentralized model of reporting not only makes it hard for governments to control, but also hard for reporters to verify. No one outside Iran can say 100% that those are Mousavi's tweets or that Neda Soltani is even dead. However, major news outlets are slashing budgets while the world is getting smaller. The Internet is beginning to reach the darkest corners of our planet, and perhaps it is becoming the disinfectant of fraud and totalitarianism in the cracks of a crumbling regime.
1 comment:
It is amazing how, if we want to know, the information is out there. It really connects us to the rest of the world. This is the first time in history that we've been so connected, and its a wonderful thing. To know so much about different countries without hopping on a plane. Despite the hardships of a floundering economy, its a wonderful time to be alive.
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