4 ms·
The title is hyperbole, but the author makes two good points: 1. A revolution is created by people, not by technology. Calling the uprisings in Egypt and Tunis
by mryall 16y ago
The title is hyperbole, but the author makes two good points:
1. A revolution is created by people, not by technology. Calling the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia the "Twitter" or "Facebook" revolutions doesn't reflect the reality on the ground.
2. The more centralised and widely used a networking service like Twitter or Facebook is, the easier it is for governments to control it or use it to track down dissidents.
Very valid and interesting points.
- sambeau 16y agoI think the article contains a little hyperbole, too. Leica were not the only manufacturer of cameras while there is only one Twitter. Blogging, Facebook, YouTube (and no doubt good-old email) have played their part in this but Twitter has a special place in getting information out and to journalists. There is no other technology that can spread grass roots information as widely or as quickly - especially to important recipients outside of the country. Important twitter messages travel amazing quickly and people seem to inherently pass them in the direction of high-follower and well-connected accounts. The fact the Egyptian Government turned the internet off and banned Al-Jazeera shows the weight that they placed on these media. And, while there is a mix of internet technologies being used in these revolutions, the term "internet Revolution" was already all used up.