Social Media Networks & Opposition Politics in Egypt – Feb 6, 2011

Right click to download

Image by alykat via Flickr

As events progressed in Egypt, we could not help but see parallels in how the events were unfolding to the Iran protests in 2009 – a tweet and online video at a time.  So, we called Julie Germany from IPDI to ask her thoughts.  She introduced up to David Faris who teaches political science at Roosevelt University in Chicago.  He studies the intersection of social media and opposition politics in Egypt.  As you will see from the articles below, David has highlighted this subject since 2008.

David joins Tom this week to explore how technology is helping people have a voice.  Reading a story in a newspaper can make news seems almost fictional – or at least easy to skim over and move to the funny papers.  However, it is against human nature to ignore cries for help.  The Internet – particularly social networking services – provides the opportunity reach and influence like nothing before it.  David will help us understand how events like the April 6th movement and other opposition groups have leveraged a loose network of like minded people into a unified protest for change.

A sampling of David’s work online:

• “Watching Egyptians Find Their Footing” NPR.org (30 Jan 2011)
• “Amplified Voices for the Voiceless.” Arab Media & Society 11 (Summer 2010)
• “The End of the Beginning: The Failure of April 6th and the Future of Electronic Activism in Egypt.” Arab Media & Society 9 (Fall 2009)
• “Revolutions Without Revolutionaries? Network Theory, Facebook, and the Egyptian Blogosphere.” Arab Media & Society 6 (Fall 2008)

Week In Review

• Super Bowl XLV Preview (coverage from Dan D’Auria)
• Egypt’s Business Impact on NY & NJ
• NYC’s First Digital Officer
• Meritage Energy Saving Homes
• Tips to help kids avoid computer burnout
• NYC PAL Event with Police Commissioner Kelly

Stories that didn’t make it into the segment but worth a read:

• Dell releases Ubuntu-powered cloud servers (Computerworld)
• Apple to require in-app subscriptions for periodicals by March 31st, fine print still a bit fuzzy (Engadget)
• Google gambles $20,000 that Chrome can’t be hacked (Digital Trends)
• Net powers: IPv4 is over. All hail IPv6! (CNET)
• Texas-size tech behind Super Bowl stadium (CNET)
• Hackers Shut Down Government Sites (NYTimes)
• Open all the WIR Links in Bit.ly Bundle?

Related Articles

• Egypt, Malcolm Gladwell and Social Media as a Life or Death Proposition (socialmediatoday.com)
• Letters: Echoes From the Revolt in Egypt (nytimes.com)
• Downloading the Uprising (online.wsj.com)
• Letters: The Drama in Egypt: What Is the Next Act? (nytimes.com)
• How Twitter is Helping with the Egyptian ‘Revolution’ (smedio.com)
• Social Media, Facebook Help People Stand Up in Tunisia, Egypt (pbs.org)
• Arab uprisings: why no one saw them coming | Mariz Tadros (guardian.co.uk)
• A Revolution Has Not Been Televised: Viewers Are Misled When They Are Told Social Media Has Changed the Nature of Activism (bigthink.com)
• Arab uprisings: why no one saw them coming – The Guardian (news.google.com)