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| Protestors gather at Tahrir Square in Cairo ([EPA] |
President Obama touched on the global impact of Egypt's liberation in his February 11th speech - "There are very few moments in our lives where we have the privilege to witness history taking place." People around the world were able to experience this revolution on a personal level because of Twitter and Facebook. While the necessity for professional foreign correspondents must not be downplayed, average citizens were able to keep abreast of the revolution, moment by enthralling moment, with a tweet and a facebook check. Toward the end of his speech, President Obama declared, "This is the power of human dignity, and it can never be denied."
Yes, it certainly is the power of human dignity. It is also the power of social media. Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim stated,"This revolution started on Facebook", referring to the Facebook page We are all Khaled Said. The brutal torture and death of Khaled Said at the hands of Egyptian police added fuel to the already growing fire spread by Egyptian revolutionaries. Khaled's face became the symbol of a country desperate for change. Human Rights activists in Egypt have been protesting police brutality for years, but Facebook and Twitter gave them the opportunity to mainstream their protest and their cries of indignation were heard around the world. Uncensored videos were recorded by amateurs, downloaded on YouTube, and viewed my millions.
Would President Mubarak have stepped down if technology hadn't broadcast Egypt's desire for democracy? I think it is doubtful. Dictators rely on suppression and censorship to keep their regimes in place. After thirty years, the voice of Egypt was no longer silent and the entire world was listening. Their euphoric liberation is only the first step and the future of Egypt is uncertain at this point, but I will continue to watch and listen with the assistance of social media.
3 comments:
Isn't it remarkable how something that can be used to keep up with friends and family and post the occasional status update might also be the nexus for a revolution? I would imagine in places where freedom of expression and freedom of congregation are either curtailed or highly monitored, Facebook provided A Place and A Voice to people who may, for the first time, have realized they were not alone in the slightest...
I also followed the plight of Egypt and I was so amazed by how the people of other countries were so engrossed by what had happened there. We cannot deny how social media had played a great role in such a place. I would love Egypt to get up to its knees and show to the world what a wonderful place they are in.
Thank you for reading and your comments.
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