By far, the most informative and up close way that I have been following the situation in Iran is through twitter and using the hashtag #iranelection. The new landscape of protests is being waged in twitter. Twitter has also been asked to delay updates so that their service will not also disrupt probably the biggest means of communications from Iranians within Iran itself.
When government started cracking down on mainstream media coverage of the elections, and when the only information on the elections came from state owned media, the internet, text messages, twitter, cellphone cameras and videos were indeed the only way that we could get on the ground information of what was and is truly happening within Iran.
The age of propaganda, of news blackouts, where a nation can wall itself from the outside world is ending, and we are witnessing, in the case of Iran, the rising power of what can be achieved by citizens who want the world to see, who want the world to hear, and who want the world to know what is really happening.
As I tweeted a day or so back:
I think the most feared enemy of dictators in the future will no longer be in the form of military, but in New Media and Social Media power
Of course, generally, the fear of dictators is that the people will start to unite, realize that they are not isolated, start to garner support and help, and realize their strength. What we find through the power of communication, social media, new media, text messages, etc., is that democracy is literally in our hands. And that we can get the message out to the world. And that information will eventually be relayed, and denial is futile in the face of overwhelming videos, pictures, tweets, text messages, and blogs that point to the contrary.
Those who are closely following events in Iran, I suggest that you also follow Persian Kiwi on twitter. And do follow the hashtag #IranElection. Also, here’s a very updated blog that you may also want to visit http://iranriggedelect.blogspot.com/ (was tweeted about as well).
It is certainly only too good that we at least have so many updates despite the government’s crackdown in Iran to stifle information. As I write this, it is being reported that Yahoo, Hotmail, and Gmail is now completely out of service. And it seems that even a newspaper editor has also been arrested.
From The Blog Iran Rigged Election:
A Summary Report of, thus far, the Bloodiest Day in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
Despite the state ban of today’s demonstration (following the Supreme Leader’s speech in Friday Sermon, 19 June), thousands of people took to the streets of central Tehran, chanting “Death to the Dictator” and “Down with Dictatorship.” Due to heavy censorship of all communication venues by the current government, the only available sources of information from Iran are incoming news from twitter, eyewitnesses, blogs (particularly, Revolutionary Road), Facebook, and Youtube videos taken by cell phones on the streets.
The recent blog post continues,
Residential houses close to the contested areas have been opening their doors, giving refuge to injured protesters. Confirmed reports speak of European Embassies’ (Embassies of Britain, France, Denmark, Portugal, and Australia – so far) opening their doors and accepting injured protesters. This is due to the fact that many confirmed evidences show those injured who have been taken to the hospitals are being immediately arrested by police and military forces, taken to unknown locations, without informing families’ of the victims. Local reports saying Canadian Embassy has refused to accept anyone so far. According to news coming from Fatemieh Hospital in Tehran, until 11:00 pm (LT), some 30-40 civilians were dead, 200 more injured, and police has been taking names of incoming injured civilians. Incoming news speak of ongoing shooting at people on the streets of Tehran and calling for urgent medical help at site. Meanwhile, incoming news speak of mass arrests of journalists in Tehran. This is while, so far, not only some 600-700 reformist political figures (many of them part of the political structures) and activists, but also many young social organizers have been arrested within the past days.
An interesting video that was taken during a protest rally on Saturday:
Despite whatever happens, whichever side you take with regards to the politics within Iran, we must be cognizant that what happens in Iran will have a great impact on the future of new media, social media, and how it can contribute to a greater awareness of events as they unfold on the ground.
(photocredit: hamidimanesh)
Popularity: 1% [?]
The landscape of protest : you need bodies on the ground. Whose pictures are you going to take if there are no bodies on the ground?
I stand by a comment I said in an earlier blogthread : sparks showing up at the anti-1109 rally is worth scores of blogpost commenters.
The CyberSpace Media Advances are the problem of Dictators. They
have no way yet of knowing how to control the Blogosphere and
CyberSpace.
Gloria Arroyo and her cahoots tried to control the New Media, by infiltrating it and embeding it with “Pekeng Blogistas”. To neutralize the Filipno Cyber Warriors.They also tried disinformations and character assasinations on opponents. Thier strategy did no effect. Instead, they were identified and ridiculed.
We are proud of our Filipino Cyber Warriors. They did a good job. And
are doing a good job in protecting the Freedom of Speech and Opinion.
And their continuing fight against CHA CHA and CON ASS…
Graphic Neda video is also startling.
I didn’t have much to say about it and so i didn’t blog it here on FV, but the graphic video of Neda being killed in Iran is on my tumblr:
Mashable described it as:
The power of social media to galvanize widespread international sympathy is astounding. It makes this uprising fundamentally different from others before it, check out this video for more: http://www.newsy.com/videos/protests_in_perspectives
There have be declarations of a “Cyberwar” where protest sympathizers online are passing proxies to those in Iran, also, Tweeters have been changing their location to Iran in an attempt to provide “cover” to tweeters in Tehran.
Are we going to wage a ‘war’ on the 27th of July when Con-Ass is scheduled to convene, to amend the Constitution, and to cut the ribbon, as if it were, for the new parliamentary government?
Well, whatever happened to the twitter war launched since June 2nd?
Enrile has said his piece – if the Senate does not deliver – we’ll see if Pinoys have balls or behave like wimpy subjects bowing before delusional “monarchies” pweeehhhh :lol:
i’d want nothing more than to be wrong.
This is me being cynical: The general Filipino public will roll over and play dead.
This is me being an elitist: The general Filipino public needs steel and leadership.
If I am right, the future will be made for us and it will be the wrong kind of future.
this is me being an optimist: hope springs eternal, even in blackest night.