Over a year ago I did a blog post, about how Social Media will effectively change our world and governments. Iran, Tunisia and Egypt, are now finding the horrible truth that, through years of repression or restricting gun ownership, things have changed. The future of keeping governments honest and defending the rights of the people is: Social Media and a Mobile phone. These revolutions are being run and organized by people streaming to Facebook, Twitter and using it to organize. Look at the photo on this post. Do you see whats happening. Look at the bottom, with the wave of uplifted mobile phones broadcasting the revolution. They are sharing whats possible and as people awaken, they organize more and demand their rights.
This is important in America where the “right to bear arms” may need to take a back seat to the new weapon, whose freedoms MUST NOW be protected: The internet and the mobile phone. Legislation has been proposed to restrict the internet and more. Facebook and Twitter have even been defending privacy rights, against subpoena’s of the Federal Government. Now there are iPhone Apps that notify City Hall of city issues like garbage, graffiti, etc. Times have changed and its important that everyone take notice, society has new power. Lets protect those rights and use it for better government.
Its time we evolved beyond violence. In the future let us hope that changes for the better in governments throughout the world will happen through technology in shared discussion forums and NOT though bullets and blood.
I agree with you that social media is changing world politics, I would like to you to check a case in Colombia where a young university was arrested for creating a facebook group against the president at the time Alvaro Uribe http://colombiapassport.com/2009/12/04/student-arrested-for-threatening-the-son-of-the-president-using-facebook/
Technology and social media platforms have made communications easier. Organizing a group of people is just a text and a tweet. However, we should learn to verify information because political groups are also utilizing these same media to spread rumors and propaganda.