Despite Social Media Block, 'Egypt' Surges On Twitter

Though Egypt blocked Twitter following the protests that erupted on January 25th, tweets about Egypt have surged in the days leading up to and after the start of the revolution that has rocked the capitol.

According to Sysomos, the number of tweets that contained the words "Egypt," "Yemen," or "Tunisia" increased more than tenfold after January 23rd: there were 122,319 tweets between January 16 and 23 containing these terms, and 1.3 million tweets between January 24 and January 30.

Sysomos also analyzed the location of those tweeting about Egypt and found that a minority were from Egypt, Yemen, or Tunisia. The company writes,

We analyzed 52 million Twitter users, and discovered that only 14,642, or 0.027%, identified themselves as being from Egypt, Yemen and Tunisia. Of these people, 88.1% were from Egypt, 9.5% from Tunisia and 2.13% from Yemen. It is important to note this number probably doesn’t reflect the number of Twitter users since many users in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen likely do not provide their location information to protect their identities.

"#Jan25," a Twitter hashtag that debuted when the protests began, remains the most common hashtag used to discuss the unrest in Egypt.

While Facebook and Twitter have been heavily relied upon to share information about the situation in Egypt, users have also turned to more unlikely social networks to express their support for the protesters. For example, on Polyvore, a fashion website, users from Tunisia, the U.S. and other nations posted images with captions such as "My Heart is with Egypt today," or "Egypt now cut off from Internet plz help spread their cause." Those with access to Twitter have used the social network to search for missing colleagues, like Google executive Wael Ghonim, who disappeared after arriving in Cairo.

Forced to do without Internet access, Egyptians are using low-tech technologies to communicate with each other and people abroad. Fax machines, ham radios, and dial-up Internet connections have all been used in place of high-speed networks.

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Comments

[Glenn Yarbrough]

11:13 AM on 02/01/2011

Since "tenfold" means a particular number has doubled 10 times, and the numbers you cite don't prove that out, your statement is incorrect. Picking nits, I know, but still...

[AmnestyInternational]

07:07 AM on 02/01/2011

Networking for change, social media in the Middle East and North Africa

“There’s nothing deterministic about these tools — Gutenberg’s press, or fax machines or Facebook. They can be used to promote human rights or to undermine human rights.” Widney Brown, Amnesty International Senior Director for International Law and Policy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apUtmzbx3vo

[New York Artist]

08:05 PM on 01/31/2011

Israel is becoming a nation. http://nopolicestate.blogspot.com/2011/01/egypt_29.html

[pierre F Lherisson]

06:34 PM on 01/31/2011

The digital generation makes the digital devices their god and religion.
The events in Egypt and elsewhere have demonstrated to the digital worshipers how the power that be, could crucify their god when they need it the most.
In a Yoctosecond ,the power that be, could renders useless their BlackBerry, BlueBerry,Smart phones, Dumb phones, Cellphones, Computers, E-mails ,Facebook, Footbooks, E-books, ATM was here, Internet, Twitters etc.. Only the worshipers faces will be available for unwanted intrusive photo sessions for the pleasure of big brother peeping Tom during those demonstrations.
The digital generation has an obsession with digital devices and relies too much on such devices. They should start developing other alternatives for communication just in case.
For e-books the power that be might start rewriting history in next three generations by portraying Mubarak as the all-time most popular saint that existed and was not a dictator. So the new generation won’t be able to verify the E-book accuracy because printed matter will be out of fashion and out of reach of the masses.

[maatpublish]

03:42 PM on 02/01/2011

I take it that you and the new media have a sort of love/hate relationship, Mr. Lherisson?

Like ir or not, with or without embracing the new media formats, whether it be smartphones, FB/ Twitter / eBooks, you are going to have to square with it someway or become a hermit. As for eBooks completely making obsolete reguluar, printed books, no publisher, no writer can fathom not covering all forms of media. Books are still counted as inheritable wealth, and far too many of us, who use both, who write and publish in both, and whose walls of their homes are lined floor to ceiling with books shall never give them up....if for nothing else but their sheer collectible value. ;)

[Christine Gordon]

06:18 PM on 01/31/2011

Ok, it is OVERWHELMING how useful and relevant are social networks nowadays. Twitter has driven this revolution in Egypt and I am sure it won't stop. It won't.

Christine,
http://humanresourceoutsource.com/

[40deuce]

05:27 PM on 01/31/2011

Glad you found our data useful!

Cheers,
Sheldon, community manager for Sysomos (http://sysomos.com)