Iran Twitter: Why The Movement Adopted This Medium

TIME:

The U.S. State Department doesn't usually take an interest in the maintenance schedules of dot-com startups. But over the weekend officials there reached out to Twitter and asked them to delay a network upgrade that was scheduled for Monday night. The reason? To protect the interests of Iranians using the service to protest the presidential election that took place last Friday. Twitter moved the upgrade to 2pm PST Tuesday afternoon -- or 1:30 am Tehran time.

Read the whole story: TIME

Comments

[ActonMBA]

The use of Twitter in the post-election aftermath is indeed interesting with all the issues it raises -- organizing protests, getting the word out, highlighting the Iranian government's fear of the internet, promoting free speech, etc.

We recently took a look at how Iran showcases how conflict and hard ship can often spur innovation and entrepreneurship -- the use of Twitter in Iran being just one example. For more on this take, check out the Acton MBA blog at http://tiny.cc/NSvQM

[dsws]

Got squid?

[wishfor]

When half of Iran's population is under the age of 25, the Reformers will win in the long run. Hopefully, youth will not be deterred for very long. They are the "internet" generation with more open communication with the outside world, better education, and a longing to make their own choices. I do not think the old establishment can win even in the short run. If guns are aimed at their children, even an older more conservative generation will rebel.
President Obama is right to restrain his comments. The Iranians will handle this for themselves.
At least, I hope so.

[Marmel]

And yet, for all the good Twitter is doing... People like John McCain are trying to unravel it for their own needs.

http://marmel.com/2009/06/mccain-tries-to-undue-the-good-twitter-has-done-but-he-will-fail/

Here's hoping it doesn't work.